2 Saturday before Elevation

Let a father say, "Love me." Let a mother say, "Love me." To these words I will say, "Be silent." But isn't what they are asking for just? Shouldn't I give back what I have received? The father says, "I fathered you." The mother says, "I bore you." The father says, "I educated you." The mother says, "I fed you." … Let us answer our father and mother when they justly say "love us." Let us answer, "I will love you in Christ, not instead of Christ. You will be with me in him, but I will not be with you without him." "But we don't care for Christ," they say. "And I care for Christ more than I care for you. Should I obey the ones who raised me and lose the One who created me?"

The measure of such love is this: its sweetness seizes the whole heart, and draws it completely from the love of all flesh and every sensual pleasure. Really this is what it means to love with the whole heart. If I prefer to the humanity of my Lord someone joined to me by ties of blood, or some sensual pleasure, this would obviously prove that I do not love with my whole heart since it is divided between its own interests and the love of the one who taught me as a man, both by his words and examples. Would I not seem to give my love partly to him and partly to my own? As he once said: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." To put it briefly, to love with the whole heart means to put the love of his sacred humanity before everything that tempts us, from within or without. Among these temptations we must also count the glory of the world, because its glory is that of the flesh, and those who delight in it without a doubt are men of the flesh.

The rivalry between all natural loves and the love of God is something a Christian dare not forget. God is the great Rival, the ultimate object of human jealousy; that beauty, terrible as the Gorgon's, which may at any moment steal from me—or it seems like stealing to me—my wife's or husband's or daughter's heart. The bitterness of some unbelief, though disguised even from those who feel it as anti-clericalism or hatred of superstition, is really due to this.

(non occ.) It seems to happen in many cases that the parents love the children more than the children love the parents; therefore having taught that His love is to be preferred to the love of parents, as in an ascending scale, He next teaches that it is to be preferred to the love of children, saying, And whoso loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

But it is fitting to inquire how we are commanded to hate our parents and blood relatives, when we are ordered to love even our enemies? And certainly the Truth says concerning a wife: "What God has joined together, let not man separate." And Paul says: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church." Behold, the disciple preaches that a wife should be loved, while the Master says: "He who does not hate his wife cannot be my disciple." Does the judge announce one thing while the herald proclaims another? Or can we both hate and love at the same time? But if we weigh the force of the precept, we are able to do both through discernment, so that those who are joined to us by kinship of the flesh, and whom we recognize as our neighbors, we may love, and those whom we suffer as adversaries in the way of God we may disregard by hating and fleeing from them. For one who thinks carnally is loved, as it were, through hatred, when he brings wicked things upon us and is not heard. Moreover, so that the Lord might demonstrate that this hatred toward our neighbors does not proceed from lack of affection but from charity, He added immediately, saying: "And his own soul as well." Therefore we are commanded to hate our neighbors, and to hate our own soul. It is clear, then, that one ought to hate his neighbor by loving him, he who hates his neighbor just as he hates himself. For we truly hate our own soul well when we do not yield to its carnal desires, when we break its appetite, when we resist its pleasures. Therefore what is led to better things by being despised is loved, as it were, through hatred. Thus, thus indeed we ought to show the discernment of hatred toward our neighbors, so that we may both love in them what they are, and hold in hatred that by which they obstruct us on our journey to God.

Therefore, from this discernment of our hatred let us draw a pattern for hatred of our neighbor. Let anyone in this world be loved, even an adversary, but let not even a relative be loved who is opposed in the way of God. For whoever now desires eternal things, in the cause of God which he undertakes, must become estranged from father, from mother, from wife, from children, from relatives, from his very self, so that he may know God more truly the more he recognizes no one in God's cause. For the carnal affections greatly buffet the intention of the mind and obscure its vision; yet we do not suffer them as harmful if we hold them in check by suppressing them. Therefore, neighbors are to be loved, charity is to be extended to all, both relatives and strangers, yet for the sake of that same charity we must not be turned aside from love of God.

(Mor. iii. 8.) For the subtle enemy when he sees himself driven out of the hearts of the good, seeks out those who most love them, and speaking by the mouth of those who are dearest, endeavours while the heart is penetrated by love, that the sword of conviction may pierce to the inmost bulwarks of virtue.

For they who have esteemed domestic affection of relations higher than God, are unworthy to inherit good things to come.

For he had previously said, "I have not come to bring peace but a sword." He adds that he has divided people against father and mother and relatives, so that no one will place familial loyalty before religion. He says, "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." We also read in the Song of Songs, "He established love in me." We must preserve this order in all our relations. Love your father, your mother, your sons. If a time comes when love for a parent and for the children of God are in conflict and both cannot be maintained, then forthright rejection of your family may be a higher form of familial loyalty in relation to God.

(Verse 37.) Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. He who had previously stated: I did not come to bring peace, but a sword; and to divide people against father and mother, and mother-in-law, so that no one would put piety before religion, he added, saying, Whoever loves father or mother more than me. And in the Song of Songs we read: Set me as a seal upon your heart (Song 2:4). This order is necessary in every affection. Love after God the Father, love the mother, love the children. But if necessity comes, that the love of parents and children be compared to the love of God, and both cannot be preserved, let there be hatred towards one's own, and devotion towards God. Therefore, he did not forbid loving the father or mother, but specifically added: Whoever loves the father or mother more than me.

Because of what He had said, I am not come to send peace but a sword, &c. that none might suppose that family affection was banished from His religion, He now adds, He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. So in the Song of Songs we read, Order love in me. (c. 2:4.) For this order is needed in every affection; after God love thy father, thy mother, and thy children; but if a necessity should occur that the love of parents and children comes into competition with the love of God, and where both cannot be preserved, remember that hatred of our kindred becomes then love to God. He forbids not to love parent or child, but adds emphatically, more than me.

"He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."

Seest thou a teacher's dignity? Seest thou, how He signifies himself a true Son of Him that begat Him, commanding us to let go all things beneath, and to take in preference the love of Him?

"And why speak I," saith He, "of friends and kinsmen? Even if it be thine own life which thou preferrest to my love, thy place is far from my disciples." What then? Are not these things contrary to the Old Testament? Far from it, rather they are very much in harmony therewith. For there too He commands not only to hate the worshippers of idols, but even to stone them; and in Deuteronomy again, admiring these, He saith, "Who said unto his father, and to his mother, I have not seen thee; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, and his own sons he disowned: he kept Thy oracles." And if Paul gives many directions touching parents, commanding us to obey them in all things, marvel not; for in those things only doth he mean us to obey, as many as do not hinder godliness. For indeed it is a sacred duty to render them all other honors: but when they demand more than is due, one ought not to obey. For this reason Luke saith, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple;" not commanding simply to hate them, since this were even quite contrary to the law; but "when one desires to be loved more than I am, hate him in this respect. For this ruins both the beloved himself, and the lover." And these things He said, both to render the children more determined, and to make the fathers more gentle, that would hinder them. For when they saw He had such strength and power as to sever their children from them, they, as attempting things impossible, would even desist. Wherefore also He leaves the fathers, and addresses His discourse to the children, instructing the former not to make the attempt, as attempting things impracticable.

Then lest they should be indignant, or count it hard, see which way He makes His argument tend: in that having said, "Who hateth not father and mother," He adds, "and his own life." For why dost thou speak to me of parents, saith He, and brothers, and sisters, and wife? Nothing is nearer than the life to any man: yet if thou hate not this also, thou must bear in all things the opposite of his lot who loveth me.

Seest thou how justly Christ said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me." For had she kept this law, she would not have transgressed so many laws, she would not have perpetrated this foul murder.

He is unworthy of the divine communion who prefers the carnal affection of kindred to the spiritual love of God.

If, therefore, He made them "His mother and His brethren" who were not so, how could He deny them these relationships who really had them? Surely only on the condition of their deserts, and not by any disavowal of His near relatives; teaching them by His own actual example, that "whosoever preferred father or mother or brethren to the Word of God, was not a disciple worthy of Him." Besides, His admission of His mother and His brethren was the more express, from the fact of His unwillingness to acknowledge them. That He adopted others only confirmed those in their relationship to Him whom He refused because of their offence, and for whom He substituted the others, not as being truer relatives, but worthier ones. Finally, it was no great matter if He did prefer to kindred (that) faith which it did not possess.

Now, whether they were baptized in any manner whatever, or whether they continued unbathed to the end-so that even that saying of the Lord touching the "one bath" does, under the person of Peter, merely regard us-still, to determine concerning the salvation of the apostles is audacious enough, because on them the prerogative even of first choice, and thereafter of undivided intimacy, might be able to confer the compendious grace of baptism, seeing they (I think) followed Him who was wont to promise salvation to every believer. "Thy faith," He would say, "hath saved thee; " and, "Thy sins shall be remitted thee," on thy believing, of course, albeit thou be not yet baptized. If that was wanting to the apostles, I know not in the faith of what things it was, that, roused by one word of the Lord, one left the toll-booth behind for ever; another deserted father and ship, and the craft by which he gained his living; a third, who disdained his father's obsequies, fulfilled, before he heard it, that highest precept of the Lord, "He who prefers father or mother to me, is not worthy of me."

For the completeness of so brief a prayer He added-in order that we should supplicate not touching the remitting merely, but touching the entire averting, of acts of guilt" Lead us not into temptation: "that is, suffer us not to be led into it, by him (of course) who tempts; but far be the thought that the Lord should seem to tempt, as if He either were ignorant of the faith of any, or else were eager to overthrow it. Infirmity and malice are characteristics of the devil. For God had commanded even Abraham to make a sacrifice of his son, for the sake not of tempting, but proving, his faith; in order through him to make an example for that precept of His, whereby He was, by and by, to enjoin that he should hold no pledges of affection dearer than God. He Himself, when tempted by the devil, demonstrated who it is that presides over and is the originator of temptation. This passage He confirms by subsequent ones, saying, "Pray that ye be not tempted; " yet they were tempted, (as they showed) by de-setting their Lord, because they had given way rather to sleep than prayer. The final clause, therefore, is consonant, and interprets the sense of "Lead us not into temptation; "for this sense is, "But convey us away from the Evil One."

For He was not able even without flight-a protection so base, and unworthy, and servile-to preserve in persecution such as He knew to be weak! Whereas in fact He does not cherish, but ever rejects the weak, teaching first, not that we are to fly from our persecutors, but rather that we are not to fear them. "Fear not them who are able to kill the body, but are unable to do ought against the soul; but fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell." And then what does He allot to the fearful? "He who will value his life more than Me, is not worthy of Me; and he who takes not up his cross and follows Me, cannot be My disciple." Last of all, in the Revelation, He does not propose flight to the "fearful," but a miserable portion among the rest of the outcast, in the lake of brimstone and fire, which is the second death.

"He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." Do you see when it is that we must hate our parents and children? When they want us to love them more than Christ. And why should I speak of father, mother, and children? Hear what is even greater than this:

He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Here he shows how they should conduct themselves in that division. If you wish to receive the Lord's sword, it is important that you be separated from those he mentioned. But someone will say: I do not want to be separated from my father and those others; therefore, he says, He who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me. The Lord's exhortation is that he be preferred to all familial love: first, he gives the exhortation; secondly, the advantage it brings (v. 40). And he mentions three degrees. For it is natural that a man love his father, but more natural that a father love his son; also it is much more natural that he love himself. Why then does a father love his son more, and not the son love the father more? Some give the reason that the father knows more about the son, if he is a son, than the son about the father. Also, the longer one clings to another, the more firmly established becomes the love. Another reason is that everyone loves himself more than someone else. But a son is a certain part separated from the father, whereas the father is not part of the son. Moreover it is natural for everyone to love what he has produced. But according to some there is a difference, because in some matters the son loves the father more; for the son's descent from the father is by nature, yet the son is by nature subject to the father; therefore, the father naturally loves the son, even a spiritual father, as it says in 1 Corinthians (4:14): "I do not write this to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children."

But sons are naturally subject to the father; therefore, they naturally honor the father and become more angry at an injury inflicted on their father than on themselves, and they desire their father's glory more than their own: "The glory of sons is their fathers" (Pr 17:6). Hence he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, because he is God who must be loved above all else: "I will not show partiality to any person or use flattery toward any man" (Jb 32:21). For God is goodness itself; therefore, he must be loved more. Therefore, he is not worthy of me who loves father or mother more than me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me... Why does a son love his father? Because whatever the son has is from the father, for he has nourishment and teaching from his father. And the son cannot give this to the father; but what the son receives from the father he receives in greater abundance from God. For he also teaches us, as it says in Job (35:11): "Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the air." He also feeds us, as is said of Jacob in Genesis. Again, he preserves us forever. And a man gets this more from God than a son from his father. Therefore, God must always be loved more: "I know that my redeemer lives, and at the last he will raise me from the earth, and I shall again be surrounded by my skin and in my flesh I will see God" (Jb 19:25).

But how this very hatred of one's soul ought to be shown, Truth makes clear by adding: "He who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." For the cross is so called from torture. And we carry the Lord's cross in two ways: either when we afflict the flesh through abstinence, or when through compassion for our neighbor we consider his necessity as our own. For he who shows pain at another's necessity carries the cross in his mind. But it should be known that there are some who practice abstinence of the flesh not for God, but for vainglory. And there are many who bestow compassion on their neighbor not spiritually, but carnally, so that they favor him not toward virtue, but as if by pitying him toward sins. These therefore seem to carry a cross, but they do not follow the Lord. Hence this same Truth rightly says: "He who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." For to carry the cross and go after the Lord is to practice either abstinence of the flesh or compassion for one's neighbor out of zeal for eternal purpose. For whoever practices these things for a temporal purpose indeed carries the cross, but refuses to go after the Lord.

(Hom. in Ev. xxxii. 3.) The cross is so called from 1torment; and there are two ways in which we bear the Lord's cross; either when we afflict the flesh by abstinence; or when in compassion for our neighbour we make his afflictions our own. But it should be known that there are some who make a show of abstinence not for God, but for ostentation; and some there are who show compassion to their neighbour, not spiritually but carnally, not that they may encourage him in virtue, but rather countenancing him in faults. These indeed seem to bear their cross, but do not follow the Lord; therefore He adds, And followeth me

Or; They that are Christ's have crucified the body with its vices and lusts. (Gal. 5:24.) And he is unworthy of Christ who does not take up His cross, in which we suffer with Him, die with Him, are buried and rise again with Him, and follow his Lord, purposing to live in newness of spirit in this sacrament of the faith.

(Verse 38, 39.) And whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. In another Gospel it is written: Whoever does not take up their cross daily. Let us not think that the ardor of faith can be enough once and for all, the cross must always be carried, so that we may always teach ourselves to love Christ.

And not even simply to hate it was His command, but so as to expose it to war, and to battles, and to slaughters, and blood. "For he that beareth not his cross, and cometh after me, cannot be my disciple." Thus He said not merely that we must stand against death, but also against a violent death; and not violent only, but ignominious too.

And He discourses nothing as yet of His own passion, that when they had been for a time instructed in these things, they might more easily receive His word concerning it. Is there not, therefore, cause for amazement, how on their hearing these things, their soul did not wing its way from the body, the hardships being everywhere at hand, and the good things in expectation? How then did it not flee away? Great was both the power of the speaker, and the love of the hearers. Wherefore though hearing things far more intolerable and galling than those great men, Moses and Jeremiah, they continued to obey, and to say nothing against it.

"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me." Whoever, He says, does not renounce this present life and give himself over to shameful death, for this is what the cross signified to the ancients, is not worthy of Me. But since there are many who are crucified, such as robbers and thieves, He added, "and followeth after Me," that is, live according to My laws.

And he who does not take his cross... It has been said that one who loves father..., but I say more: he that loves himself more than me is not worthy of me, because nothing can fill one's whole affection but God. Therefore, Deuteronomy (6:5): "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength." Hence he says, he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. This tells us that one who is not prepared to suffer even death for the truth, and that worst of deaths, namely, the death of the cross, is not worthy of me. Indeed, he should even glory in the cross, as Paul: "Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal 6:14). In these words Christ foretells his own death: "Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example to follow in his footsteps" (1 Pt 2:21). It is also explained another way, namely, that one who afflicts his flesh takes the cross, as is said in Galatians (5:24): "Those who belong to Christ crucify their flesh with its vices and desires." Again, the cross is carried in the heart, when one grieves over sin, as the Apostle said: "Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?" Finally, all this is not enough, unless one follows the Lord. Hence, and follows me. If you fast, if you sympathize with your neighbor, but not for my sake, you are not worthy of me. For it is a great thing to follow the Lord, as it says in Sirach (33:8): "It is a great glory to follow the Lord."

Everyone who is perfect will be able to say: "My own vineyard I have not kept"; in that sense, indeed, in which the Savior speaks in the Gospel, "Whoever loses his soul for my sake will find it" (Mt 10:39). Fit indeed and worthy to be set as keeper in the vineyards is he whom the care of his own vineyard does not impede or delay from the diligence and solicitude of those committed to him; while he does not seek the things that are his own, nor what is useful to himself, but what is useful to many. For this reason indeed that care was entrusted to Peter in so many vineyards which were of the circumcision, because the man was prepared to go both "to prison and to death" (Lk 22:33), to such a degree was he not held back by love of his own vineyard, that is, of his own soul, from attending to the care of those entrusted to him. Deservedly also to Paul among the Gentiles was entrusted so vast a forest of vineyards, because he too was found to be by no means anxious in the custody of his own vineyard; so that he was prepared not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem "for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 21:13). Finally: "I fear none of these things," he says, "nor do I make my soul more precious than myself" (Acts 20:24). An excellent appraiser of things, who judges that nothing of his own should be preferred to himself.

If pain sometimes shatters the creature's false self-sufficiency, yet in supreme "Trial" or "Sacrifice" it teaches him the self-sufficiency which really ought to be his--the "strength, which, if Heaven gave it, may be called his own": for then, in the absence of all merely natural motives and supports, he acts in that strength, and that alone, which God confers upon him through his subjected will. Human will becomes truly creative and truly our own when it is wholly God's, and this is one of the many senses in which he that loses his soul shall find it. In all other acts our will is fed through nature, that is, through created things other than the self--through the desires which our physical organism and our heredity supply to us. When we act from ourselves alone--that is, from God in ourselves--we are collaborators in, or live instruments of, creation: and that is why such an act undoes with "backward mutters of dissevering power" the uncreative spell which Adam laid upon his species. Hence as suicide is the typical expression of the stoic spirit, and battle of the warrior spirit, martyrdom always remains the supreme enacting and perfection of Christianity.

Here Jesus calls the departure of life from the body the "loss of life," speaking figuratively. "He who finds his life" refers to anyone who too highly values transitory existence and as it were sells it at a profit. He will face the hands of death when he is sent to unremittable punishment and death.

I cannot see any Battersea here; I cannot see any London or any England. I cannot see that door. I cannot see that chair: because a cloud of sleep and custom has come across my eyes. The only way to get back to them is to go somewhere else; and that is the real object of travel and the real pleasure of holidays. Do you suppose that I go to France in order to see France? Do you suppose that I go to Germany in order to see Germany? I shall enjoy them both; but it is not them that I am seeking. I am seeking Battersea. The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land. Now I warn you that this Gladstone bag is compact and heavy, and that if you utter that word 'paradox' I shall hurl it at your head. I did not make the world, and I did not make it paradoxical. It is not my fault, it is the truth, that the only way to go to England is to go away from it.

Here the stated doctrine and its meaning run along the same course. After he commands us to abandon everything that is most valuable in earthly life, he adds, "He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." This is because those who belong to Christ have crucified their bodies with their sinful practices and pleasures. We are unworthy of Christ if we do not take up our own cross, by which we suffer, die and are buried and resurrected together with him. Only by this pledge of faith in the Spirit will he triumph in new life in us."He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." This obviously means that through the power of the Word and separation from our old vices, we will receive spiritual profit in death and a fine exacted against our life. Therefore we must accept death in the reformation of our life. We are to fashion our vicious selves on the model of our Lord's cross, and we are to cling to an open profession of glory, even against persecutors and with disregard of things present.

Thus the gain of life brings death, the loss of life brings salvation; for by the sacrifice of this short life we gain the reward of immortality.

"He that findeth his life," saith He, "shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it." Seest thou how great the damage to such as love it unduly? how great the gain to them that hate it? I mean, because the injunctions were disagreeable, when He was bidding them set themselves against parents, and children, and nature, and kindred, and the world, and their very soul, He sets forth the profit also, being very great. Thus, "These things," saith He, "so far from harming, will very greatly profit; and their opposites will injure;" urging them, as He ever doth, by the very things which they desire. For why art thou willing to despise thy life? Because thou lovest it? Then for that very reason despise it, and so thou wilt advantage it in the highest degree, and do the part of one that loves it.

And mark an instance of unspeakable consideration. For not in respect of our parents only doth He practise this reasoning, nor of our children, but with regard to our life, which is nearer than all; that the other point may thenceforth become unquestionable, and they may learn that they will in this way profit those of their kindred likewise, as much as may be; since so it is in the case even of our life, which is more essential to us than all.

Otherwise; He who seeks an immortal life, does not hesitate to lose his life, that is, to offer it to death. But either sense suits equally well with that which follows, And whoso shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.

The life in this place is not to be understood as the substance, (the soul,) but as this present state of being; and the sense is, He who findeth his life, i. e. this present life, he who so loves this light, its joys and pleasures, as to desire that he may always find them; he shall lose that which he wishes always to keep, and prepare his soul for eternal damnation.

That is, he who in confession of My name in time of persecution despises this temporal world, its joys, and pleasures, shall find eternal salvation for his soul.

In the same manner, therefore, we maintain that the other announcements too refer to the condition of martyrdom. "He," says Jesus, "who will value his own life also more than me, is not worthy of me," -that is, he who will rather live by denying, than die by confessing, me; and "he who findeth his life shall lose it; but he who loseth it for my sake shall find it." Therefore indeed he finds it, who, in winning life, denies; but he who thinks that he wins it by denying, will lose it in hell. On the other hand, he who, through confessing, is killed, will lose it for the present, but is also about to find it unto everlasting life. In fine, governors themselves, when they urge men to deny, say, "Save your life; "and, "Do not lose your life." How would Christ speak, but in accordance with the treatment to which the Christian would be subjected?

How shall we fashion to us friends from mammon, if we love it so much as not to put up with its loss? We shall perish together with the lost mammon. Why do we find here, where it is our business to lose? To exhibit impatience at all losses is the Gentiles' business, who give money the precedence perhaps over their soul; for so they do, when, in their cupidities of lucre, they encounter the gainful perils of commerce on the sea; when, for money's sake, even in the forum, there is nothing which damnation (itself) would fear which they hesitate to essay; when they hire themselves for sport and the camp; when, after the manner of wild beasts, they play the bandit along the highway. But us, according to the diversity by which we are distinguished from them, it becomes to lay down not our soul for money, but money for our soul, whether spontaneously in bestowing or patiently in losing.

"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it." He who pampers his life in the flesh appears to "find his life," while in fact he is losing it by sending it to eternal punishment. But he who loses his life and dies, not as a thief or one who strangles himself, but for Christ's sake, he it is that saves his life.

But they could say: What shall we get from all this? So he shows them the punishment for those who do not obey; hence he says, He who finds his life [soul] shall lose it. Soul is taken for life. When one is in danger of losing his money, he says: I have lost my money; and if he is freed from danger, he says that he has found his money. In like manner if one is in bodily danger and is freed by some chance, he says that he has found his life. Therefore, one who finds his life and was in danger on my account and denies me to find his life, is not worthy of me. And he who loses his soul, i.e., life, i.e., if he exposes himself to death for my sake, will find it: "He that finds me shall find life and will draw salvation from the Lord" (Pr 8:35).

But concerning the apostles and prophets, according to the decree of the Gospel, thus do. Let every apostle that cometh to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not remain except one day; but if there be need, also the next; but if he remain three days, he is a false prophet. And when the apostle goeth away, let him take nothing but bread until he lodgeth; but if he ask money, he is a false prophet.

"He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward." He who receives a prophet receives him who dwells in the prophet, and he becomes worthy of a prophet's reward by receiving the prophet because he is a prophet. And a like reward is allotted for receiving a righteous person. One who does this becomes righteous by honoring righteousness. In this way righteousness is attained through faith, taking on mercy as its duty. This happens when someone receives a righteous person and becomes a prophet himself by reason of his own reverence. He will receive the honor due to a righteous person and a prophet.

These words show that He has a Mediator's office, and since He came from God, when He is received by us, through Him God is transfused into us; and by this disposition of grace to have received the Apostles is no other than to have received God; for Christ dwells in them, and God in Christ.

(Verse 40.) Whoever receives you, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me. A most beautiful order. It sends for preaching, teaches not to fear dangers, and subjects one's feelings to religion. He had carried gold above, and had shaken off bronze from his belt. The condition of the evangelists is difficult. So, where does the income come from, where does the necessary sustenance come from? Hope moderates the severity of the commandments with the promises. Whoever receives you, he says, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me, so that in receiving the apostles, each of the believers may consider that they have received Christ.

The Lord when He sends forth His disciples to preach, teaches them that dangers are not to be feared, that natural affection is to be postponed to religion—gold He had above taken from them, brass He had shaken out of their purses—hard then surely the condition of the preachers! Whence their living? Whence their food and necessaries? Therefore He tempers the rigour of His precepts by the following promises, that in entertaining the Apostles each believer may consider that he entertains the Lord.

Now these things were enough to recommend men to receive them, their appointed healers. Yea, who would choose but receive with all readiness them that were so noble, such true heroes, and as lions running about the earth, and despising all that pertained to themselves, so that others might be saved? Yet nevertheless He proffers also another reward, indicating that He is caring here for the entertainers more than for the guests.

And the first honor He confers is by saying,

"He that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me, receiveth Him that sent me."

With this, what may compare? that one should receive the Father and the Son!

Seest thou what mighty persuasions He used, and how He opened to them the houses of the whole world? Yea, He signified that men are their debtors: first, by saying, "The workman is worthy of his hire;" secondly, by sending them forth having nothing; thirdly, by giving them up to wars and fightings in behalf of them that receive them; fourthly, by committing to them miracles also; fifthly, in that He did by their lips introduce peace, the cause of all blessings, into the houses of such as receive them; sixthly, by threatening things more grievous than Sodom to such as receive them not: seventhly, by signifying that as many as welcome them are receiving both Himself and the Father; eighthly, by promising both a prophet's and a righteous man's reward: ninthly, by undertaking that the recompenses shall be great, even for a cup of cold water. Now each one of these things, even by itself, were enough to attract them. For who, tell me, when a leader of armies wounded in innumerable places, and dyed in blood, came in sight, returning after many trophies from war and conflict, would not receive him, throwing open every door in his house?

"He that receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward." He incites us to welcome those whom Christ sends, for he who honors a disciple of Christ, honors Christ Himself and, through Him, the Father as well. But we must welcome righteous men and prophets in the name of a righteous man and prophet, that is, because they are righteous men and prophets, and not because of any protection or aid of the sort which kings provide. But even if a man should have the appearance of a prophet but in conduct fall short, you should still receive him as a prophet. And God will reward you for having received a true prophet, for this is what it means "shall receive a righteous man's reward." Or you may understand it in another way, that he who receives a righteous man will himself be counted as a righteous man and will receive the reward which the righteous receive.

He who receives you, receives me. Here he offers a remedy. You say that we should do all this. How are we going to live? Favor us. As the Pope gives his representatives the power to grant favors, so the Lord gives a reward to those who receive them. And he mentions three. He says, therefore, he who receives you, receives me, because they will have God, because you are my members, because member of a member. But they could say: there is nothing great in receiving a poor man or you. But on the other hand, he that receives me, receives him that sent me, because, as it says in John (5:23): "He that honors my Father, honors me." It is no small thing to have God as a gift, as it was imputed to the praise of Abraham (Heb 13:2).

But so that our Redeemer might show how great is the virtue in continence and in receiving the needy, he says: "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward." In these words it should be noted that he does not say "a reward from the prophet" or "a reward from the righteous man," but "he shall receive a prophet's reward" and "a righteous man's reward." For a reward from the prophet is one thing, and the prophet's reward is another; and a reward from the righteous man is one thing, and the righteous man's reward is another. For what does it mean to say "He shall receive a prophet's reward," except that he who sustains a prophet by his generosity, even though he himself does not have the gift of prophecy, will nevertheless have the rewards of prophecy before the almighty Lord? For perhaps this man is righteous, and the less he possesses in this world, the greater confidence he has in speaking for justice. When he who possesses something in this world sustains this man, and perhaps does not yet presume to speak freely for justice, he makes himself a sharer in that man's freedom of justice, so that he may receive equally with him the rewards of justice—he whom he helped by sustaining him, so that he might be able to speak that same justice freely. That man is full of the spirit of prophecy, but nevertheless needs bodily nourishment. And if the body is not refreshed, it is certain that the voice itself is diminished. Therefore, he who provides food to the prophet because he is a prophet gives strength to that man's prophecy for speaking. He will therefore receive a prophet's reward along with the prophet, because even if he was not full of the spirit of prophecy, he nevertheless displayed before God's eyes what he assisted. Hence it is said to Gaius through John concerning certain traveling brothers: "For they went forth for the name of Christ, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such persons, that we may be fellow workers for the truth." For he who provides temporal assistance to those who have spiritual gifts becomes a fellow worker in those very spiritual gifts. For since few are those who receive spiritual gifts, and many are those who abound in temporal things, through this the rich insert themselves into the virtues of the poor: by providing comfort to those same holy poor from their riches.

(Hom. in Ev. xx. 12.) He says not, a reward from a prophet, or righteous man, but the reward of a prophet or righteous man. For the prophet is perhaps a righteous man, and the less he possesses in this world, the greater confidence has he in speaking in behalf of righteousness. He who hath of this world's goods, in supporting such a man, makes himself a free partaker in his righteousness, and shall receive the reward of righteousness together with him whom he has aided by supporting him. He is full of the spirit of prophecy, but he lacks bodily sustenance, and if the body be not supported, it is certain that the voice will fail. Whoso then gives a prophet food, gives him strength for speaking, therefore together with the prophet he shall receive the prophet's reward, when he shows before the face of God what bounty he showed him.

Or; Seeing beforehand that there would be many who would only glory in the name of Apostleship, but in their whole life and walk would be unworthy of it, He does not therefore deprive of its reward that service which might be rendered to them in belief of their religious life.

(Verse 41.) Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. And whoever receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet and understands him speaking of future things, he will receive a prophet's reward. Therefore, the Jews, understanding the prophets in a carnal way, will not receive the reward of the prophets. On another note: In every profession, there is a mixture of weeds with wheat. He had said earlier: Whoever receives you, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me. He had invited the disciples to the reception of the masters. The response of the believers could be hidden; therefore, we must receive both false prophets and the traitor Judas, and provide them with sustenance. The Lord, anticipating this, says that it is not the persons that should be received, but the names, and those who receive them should not lose their reward, even if the person received was unworthy.

Otherwise; To this His exhortation to the disciple to entertain his teacher, there might a secret objection arise among the faithful; then shall we have to support the false prophets, or Judas the traitor. To this end it is that the Lord instructs them in these words, that it is not the person but the office that they should look to; and that the entertainer loses not his reward, though he whom he entertains be unworthy.

Mystically; He who receives a prophet as a prophet, and understands him speaking of things to come, he shall receive reward of that prophet. The Jews therefore, who understand the prophets carnally, do not receive the prophet's reward.

But He holds out herewith another reward also.

"He," saith He, "that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward."

And as before He threatens punishment to such as do not receive them, here He defines also a certain refreshment for the good. And to teach thee His greater care for them, He said not simply, "He that receiveth a prophet," or "He that receiveth a righteous man," but subjoined, "in the name of a prophet," and, "in the name of a righteous man;" that is, if not for any worldly preferment, nor for any other temporal thing, he receive him, but because he is either a prophet or a righteous man, he shall receive a prophet's reward, and a righteous man's reward; such as it were meet for him to have, that hath received a prophet, or a righteous man; or, such as that other is himself to receive. Which kind of thing Paul also said: "That your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want."

But who now is like this? one may say. Therefore He added, "In the name of a disciple, and of a prophet, and of a righteous man;" to instruct thee that not for the worthiness of the visitor, but for the purpose of him that gives welcome, is His reward appointed. For though here He speak of prophets, and righteous men, and disciples, yet elsewhere He bids men receive the veriest outcasts, and punishes such as fail to do so. For, "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me;" and the converse again He affirms with respect to the same persons.

This passage has a deeper meaning. One who has properly extracted the meaning of the apostle's writing, and has not misunderstood it is receiving the apostle as well as Christ who speaks and dwells in the apostle and is the source of the apostle's teaching. And since the divine mind of the Father is also in the Son, one who receives the word "of wisdom" and everything that is Christ is receiving God the Father of all things. The first part refers mystically to the new covenant, the last part to the old covenant. And if one believes that the prophets spoke wisely, not from their own understanding but because they were moved by the Holy Spirit, when one receives the meaning in them he possesses the prophetic Spirit and quite reasonably receives a prophet's reward. And if one who understands righteousness and unrighteousness (and does not live unrighteously himself) receives a righteous person, that one is not only hospitable but righteous in addition. That one receives a righteous person's reward.

Some understand by the prophet here, the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Moses says, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you; (Deut. 18:18.) and the same also by the righteous man, because he is beyond comparison righteous. He then who shall receive a prophet or righteous man in the name of the prophet or righteous man, i. e. of Christ, shall receive reward from Him for love of whom he received Him.

The one who receives people sent by anyone gladly honors the one who sent them, and vice versa. Or alternately: the one who receives the apostles who preach the Trinity receives "the fullness of deity" itself. And I think it likely that even in our days we receive them in spirit, if we receive their counsels with an open mind.

Furthermore, something else will follow, namely, the reward of a prophet. Hence he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward. There are two outstanding qualities in a prophet, namely, prophecy: "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy" (Jl 3:28); and the gift of justice: "Whom God made our wisdom and justice" (1 Cor 1:30). He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet can be taken to mean he who receives a prophet in as much as he is a prophet, will receive the reward of a prophet. Or in another way: You say that we should receive the apostles, but some pseudo-apostles or pseudo-prophets will come. Therefore, he says: I am emphasizing not their reality but their name, because one who receives him in the name of a prophet, will have a reward. And which reward? The same as you would have if you received a true prophet. Furthermore, he makes no distinction about who he is, whether the one or the other. For he who receives a prophet, receives the reward of a prophet, because a prophet is thereby more inclined to do his work; for not only those who do, receive a reward, "but even those who consent to those doing it," as it says in Romans (1:32). Hence if you work together with a good one, you will receive a reward from that good one; if you minister the necessities of life, you receive a reward, because otherwise he could not fulfill his office. What follows is the same: He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, or Elijah, I would be glad to receive him.

All around me as I write is a noise of Nature drinking: and Nature makes a noise when she is drinking, being by no means refined. If I count it Christian mercy to give a cup of cold water to a sufferer, shall I complain of these multitudinous cups of cold water handed round to all living things; a cup of water for every shrub; a cup of water for every weed? I would be ashamed to grumble at it. As Sir Philip Sidney said, their need is greater than mine--especially for water.

(non occ.) Note, that God looks more to the pious mind of the giver, than to the abundance of the thing given.

(ord.) Or, the least are they who have nothing at all in this world, and shall be judges with Christ.

For our external possessions, however small, are sufficient for the Lord. For he weighs the heart, not the substance; nor does he consider how much is offered in his sacrifice, but from how much it is brought forth. For if we weigh external substance, behold, our holy merchants purchased the perpetual life of angels by giving up their nets and boat. Indeed it has no estimation of price, yet the kingdom of God is worth as much as you have. For it was worth half his substance to Zacchaeus, because he reserved the other half to restore fourfold what he had unjustly taken. It was worth the abandoned nets and boat to Peter and Andrew; it was worth two small coins to the widow; it was worth a cup of cold water to another. The kingdom of God, therefore, as we said, is worth as much as you have.

Consider therefore, brothers, what is cheaper when purchased, what is more precious when possessed. But perhaps not even a cup of cold water is available to be offered to one in need; even then the divine word promises us security. For when the Redeemer was born, the citizens of heaven were revealed, who cried out: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will. For before the eyes of God the hand is never empty of a gift, if the treasury of the heart has been filled with good will.

He teaches that no deed of a good conscience is useless. It is no crime for a believer to have hope that transcends another's unbelief. For he foresaw that there would be many who glory merely in the name of apostleship but whose every action proves they are unworthy. They deceive and lie perpetually. And yet when we grant these people the favors that are due them because of their mere appearance of religiosity, he does not withhold from us the reward of doing his work and of hope. For even if they are the very least, that is, the worst sinners of all—for nothing is smaller than the "least"—nonetheless he decrees that we have duties toward them. These duties are light but not useless. They are represented by the phrase "cold water." For honor is to be paid not to the sins of the individual but to his status as a disciple. He grants his reward to the faith of the one who gives, not to the deceitfulness of the one who receives.

For though they were the very least, that is, the greatest of sinners, yet even small offices of mercy shown them, such as are denoted by the cup of cold water, should not be shown in vain. For the honour is not done to a man that is a sinner, but to his title of disciple.

Jesus said, "He who receives you receives me." But there are many false prophets and false preachers who perhaps make this doctrine difficult. He has also cured this stumbling block by saying, "He who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward." Then again, someone may object and say, "I am prevented by poverty. My own lack prevents me from acting as a host." Jesus eliminated this excuse, too, by the easily fulfilled command that we should offer a cup of cold water with our whole heart. He said "cold water" rather than "hot water" so that we could not object because of our poverty or lack of fuel for hot water. As I have mentioned before, the apostle gave a similar instruction to the Galatians: "Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches." He admonishes disciples to give refreshment to their teachers because before he had specified this, it was possible for anyone to plead poverty and avoid the instruction. He clears up this important doubt when he says, "God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." Paul means "If you plead poverty but know in your conscience that the case is otherwise, your excuse accomplishes nothing. You can disobey my admonitions, but be warned that you will reap exactly what you have sown."

(Verse 42.) And whoever gives a drink to one of these little ones, only a cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple, amen I say to you, he will not lose his reward. We read in the prophet David: To make excuses for sins (Ps CXL, 4): that many present their sins as if they were justifying circumstances, so that they may appear to sin out of necessity rather than by choice: The Lord, the searcher of hearts and reins, contemplates future thoughts in each one. He had said: Whoever receives you, receives me. But this commandment could be hindered by many false prophets and false teachers; he also addressed this scandal, saying: Whoever receives the righteous in the name of the righteous, will receive the reward of the righteous. Again, another could argue and say: I am prevented by poverty, thinness holds me back, so that I cannot be hospitable. And he dilutes this excuse with a very light commandment, so that we may offer a cup of cold water with all our heart. He said, cold waters are not hot, nor is there any lack of firewood in hot waters, lest it be an occasion for poverty and want. The Apostle also commanded such a thing to the Galatians, as we have said before: 'Let him who is catechized communicate his word to him who catechizes him in all good things' (Galatians 6:6), and he urges his disciples to provide refreshment to their teachers. Because anyone could feign poverty and evade the command, before he presents it, he solves the imminent question, saying: 'Do not be deceived, God is not mocked.' For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. And this is the meaning: you argue in vain about poverty, when your conscience tells you otherwise: you can deceive me who encourages you; but know that as much as you sow, so shall you reap.

That none should say, I am poor and therefore cannot be hospitable, He takes away even this plea by the instance of a cup of cold water, given with good will. He says cold water, because in hot, poverty and lack of fuel might be pleaded. And whosoever shall give to drink to one of the least of these a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

Then, lest any one should allege poverty, He saith,

"Or whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

"Though a cup of cold water be thy gift, on which there is nothing laid out, even of this shall a reward be stored up for thee. For I do all things for the sake of you the receivers."

But who now is like this? one may say. Therefore He added, "In the name of a disciple, and of a prophet, and of a righteous man;" to instruct thee that not for the worthiness of the visitor, but for the purpose of him that gives welcome, is His reward appointed. For though here He speak of prophets, and righteous men, and disciples, yet elsewhere He bids men receive the veriest outcasts, and punishes such as fail to do so. For, "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me;" and the converse again He affirms with respect to the same persons.

Since though he may be doing no such great work, he is a man, inhabiting the same world with thee, beholding the same sun having the same soul, the same Lord, a partaker with thee of the same mysteries, called to the same heaven with thee; having a strong claim, his poverty, and his want of necessary food.

The least of these, that is, not a prophet, or a righteous man, but one of these least.

Never is Christ without water: if, that is, He is Himself baptized in water; inaugurates in water the first rudimentary displays of His power, when invited to the nuptials; invites the thirsty, when He makes a discourse, to His own sempiternal water; approves, when teaching concerning love, among works of charity, the cup of water offered to a poor (child); recruits His strength at a well; walks over the water; willingly crosses the sea; ministers water to His disciples. Onward even to the passion does the witness of baptism last: while He is being surrendered to the cross, water intervenes; witness Pilate's hands: when He is wounded, forth from His side bursts water; witness the soldier's lance!

"And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." Lest anyone use poverty as an excuse, He says, "If you give even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, you will receive a reward even for this." He who gives a cup of cold water is also he who teaches one burning with the fire of anger and desire and causes him to be named a disciple of Christ. The teacher will not lose his reward.

Therefore, he adds, and whoever gives to one of these little ones, i.e., to believers, as it says below (25:40): "Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these, my least brethren, you did it to me"; as if to say: I do not care whether they were great or small. Someone could say: I am poor; I have nothing to give. So he adds, a cup of water. He does not say, "hot water" on account of a lack of wood, so that he could not have an excuse. Hence he wants to say: the slightest thing you do will have its reward. And he confirms this, saying, Amen, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward; Isaiah (40:10): "Behold, the Lord comes..., and his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."

Poemen also said, 'Teach your heart to follow what your tongue is saying to others.' He also said, 'Men try to appear excellent in preaching but they are less excellent in practising what they preach.'

(Chapter 23, Verses 1 and following.) Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying: The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves on the chair of Moses. Therefore, whatever they tell you, observe and do it, but do not do their works. For they speak, but do not practice. What is gentler, what is kinder than the Lord? He is tempted by the Pharisees, their plots are crushed, and according to the Psalmist: The arrows of little children have become their wounds (Psalm 63:8). And nevertheless, because of their priesthood and the dignity of their office, he urges the people to submit to them, considering not their works, but their teaching. But when He says, 'The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat,' He shows that the seat represents the teaching of the Law. Therefore, we must also understand the teaching in the passages that say, 'He did not sit on the throne of pestilence' (Psalm 1:1) and 'He overturned the seats of those selling doves' (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15).

Therefore when he speaks "to the crowds and his disciples" he talks about "the scribes and Pharisees who sit upon the throne of Moses." I judge these statements to be referring to the following groups. Those who profess that they interpret the law of Moses and glory in this, or who know the law well and seek to profit by this knowledge—these sit upon the throne of Moses. Those who do not depart from the letter of the law are called scribes. Then there are those who profess to know even more, setting themselves apart because they think they are better than the masses. That is why they are called Pharisees, which interpreted means "to divide or segregate" (for Phares translated means "division").

The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat, as professing his Law, and boasting that they can interpret it. Those that do not depart from the letter of the Law are the Scribes; those who make high professions, and separate themselves from the vulgar as better than they, are called Pharisees, which signifies 'separate.' Those who understand and expound Moses according to his spiritual meaning, these sit indeed on Moses' seat, but are neither Scribes nor Pharisees, but better than either, Christ's beloved disciples. Since His coming these have sat upon the seat of the Church, which is the seat of Christ.

But regard must be had to this, after what sort each man fills his seat; for not the seat makes the Priest, but the Priest the seat; the place does not consecrate the man, but the man the place. A wicked Priest derives guilt and not honour from his Priesthood.

The scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses. The chair properly belongs to teachers; and therefore those are said to sit upon the chair who are successors of Moses; Sirach 24:33: Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justice. Hence those who taught the law of Moses sat upon the chair of Moses. And in the law were contained certain things pertaining to faith, and certain things pertaining to good morals. The things pertaining to faith were those in which Christ was prefigured; hence he himself says, John 5:46: if you did believe Moses, you would perhaps believe me also. Likewise, there were contained moral precepts; Sirach 24:33: Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justice. But it should be noted that upon the chair sit both the scribes, and the Pharisees, and the disciples of Christ: the scribes, who consider only the letter; the Pharisees, who grasp something of its inner meaning; the disciples of Christ, who weigh all of it. And they are not called disciples of Moses, but of Christ; Luke 24:27: beginning from Moses and the prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things that were concerning him.

He is tempted by the Pharisees and surrounded by their lies. According to the psalmist, "The arrows of children are their snares." Nevertheless, on account of the dignity of the priests and their reputation, he encourages the people to obey them, considering not their works but their teaching. What he says is this: "The scribes and Pharisees sit upon the throne of Moses," showing this as a throne of teaching about the law. And we ought to accept this because of what is said in the psalms: "He does not sit in the seat of scoffers" and "He overturned the seats of those who sold pigeons."

(Hom. lxxii.) But that none should say, For this cause am I slack to practise, because my instructor is evil, He removes every such plea, saying, All therefore whatsoever they say unto you, that observe and do, for they speak not their own, but God's, which things He taught through Moses in the Law. And look with how great honour He speaks of Moses, showing again what harmony there is with the Old Testament.

Look with what He begins His reproof of them, For they say, and do not. Every one who transgresses the Law is deserving of blame, but especially he who has the post of instruction. And this for a threefold cause; first, because he is a transgressor; secondly, because when he ought to set others right, be himself halts; thirdly, because, being in the rank of a teacher, his influence is more corrupting.

But if the Scribes and Pharisees who sit in Moses' seat are the teachers of the Jews, teaching the commandments of the Law according to the letter, how is this that the Lord bids us do after all things which they say; but the Apostles in the Acts forbid the believers to do according to the letter of the Law. (Acts 15:19.) These indeed taught after the letter, not understanding the Law spiritually. Whatsoever they say to us out of the Law, with understanding of its sense, that we do and keep, not doing after their works, for they do not what the law enjoins, nor perceive the veil that is upon the letter of the Law. Or by all we are not to understand every thing in the Law, many things for example relating to the sacrifices, and the like, but such as concern our conduct. But why did He command this not of the Law of grace, but of the doctrine of Moses? Because truly it was not the time to publish the commandments of the New Law before the season of His passion. I think also that He had herein something further in view. He was about to bring many things against the Scribes and Pharisees in His discourse following, wherefore that vain men might not think that He coveted their place of authority, or spoke thus out of enmity to them, he first puts away from Himself this suspicion, and then begins to reprove them, that the people might not fall into their faults; and that, because they ought to hear them, they should not think that therefore they ought to imitate them in their works, He adds, But do ye not after their works. What can be more pitiable than such a teacher, whose life to imitate is ruin, to refuse to follow is salvation for his disciples?

But as gold is picked out of the dross, and the dross is left, so hearers may take doctrine and leave practice, for good doctrine oft comes from an evil man. But as Priests judge it better to teach the bad for the sake of the good, rather than to neglect the good for the sake of the bad; so also let those who are set under them pay respect to the bad Priests for the sake of the good, that the good may not be despised because of the bad; for it is better to give the bad what is not their due, rather than to defraud the good of what is justly theirs.

Then he admonishes them to obedience with caution; and he does two things. First, he exhorts them to obey; secondly, to beware. All things whatsoever they shall say to you, observe, namely in the heart, and do, in deed; Deuteronomy 17:9: you shall come to the priests of the levitical race, and to the judge; and afterward: and you shall do whatsoever they shall say; and it follows: you shall follow their sentence. And the Apostle says: obey your prelates. And this is against the Manicheans, who said that the old law was not good. And it is clear that it is good, because the Lord commanded it to be observed. But someone can object: therefore we ought to observe the legal ceremonies, which is against the doctrine of the apostles, Acts 15:29. It should be known that the authority of the lawgiver is always to be maintained according to his intention; but the lawgiver says some things as always to be observed, and such things must always be observed; but he says other things that are like a shadow, as it says in Colossians 2:17: which are a shadow of things to come. Moral precepts, therefore, are commandments according to the intention of the lawgiver, to be observed always; but legal precepts only for a time, namely for the time before Christ. Hence before that time they ought to be observed, but not after: because whoever would observe them would do injury to Christ. And Augustine gives an example. If someone were to say, "I shall eat tomorrow," this utterance is a sign of this thing; and if, after he had eaten, he were to say the same thing, he would not speak rightly. So since these legal precepts were signs of Christ who was to come, after Christ came, whoever would observe them would not observe them rightly. Hence all things whatsoever they shall say to you, according to the intention of the lawgiver, do. But according to their works do ye not. Here he teaches caution. You should know that a prelate is placed in charge so as to teach not only by doctrine but also by his life. And we ought to be in agreement with him as regards what he teaches, because, as is said in Galatians 1:9, if anyone preach to you a gospel besides that which you have received, let him be anathema. Likewise, we ought to conform to him in life. For his life should be an example to us, as the life of Christ; hence 1 Corinthians 4:16: be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. But these men were not at variance with the doctrine, but with the life; therefore their doctrine is to be attended to, but their life is to be avoided. For they say, and do not. Here he assigns the reason. And first he states the reason; secondly, he explains it, at for they bind heavy burdens, etc. You say, whatsoever they shall say to you, do, because they say: you ought to do good, but they do not; and therefore you ought not to act according to their works, because you who teach not to steal, do steal; Psalm 49:16: but to the sinner God has said: why do you declare my justices, and take my covenant in your mouth?

But the modern laws are almost always laws made to affect the governed class, but not the governing. We have public-house licensing laws, but not sumptuary laws. That is to say, we have laws against the festivity and hospitality of the poor, but no laws against the festivity and hospitality of the rich. We have laws against blasphemy—that is, against a kind of coarse and offensive speaking in which nobody but a rough and obscure man would be likely to indulge. But we have no laws against heresy—that is, against the intellectual poisoning of the whole people, in which only a prosperous and prominent man would be likely to be successful. The evil of aristocracy is not that it necessarily leads to the infliction of bad things or the suffering of sad ones; the evil of aristocracy is that it places everything in the hands of a class of people who can always inflict what they can never suffer. Whether what they inflict is, in their intention, good or bad, they become equally frivolous. The case against the governing class of modern England is not in the least that it is selfish; if you like, you may call the English oligarchs too fantastically unselfish. The case against them simply is that when they legislate for all men, they always omit themselves.

(interlin.) Or, bind burdens, that is, gather traditions from all sides, not to aid, but to burden the conscience.

(Verse 4.) However, they bind heavy and burdensome loads and lay them on people's shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with their finger. This applies generally to all teachers who command heavy things but do not do smaller things. However, it should be noted that both the shoulders, the finger, the burdens, and the chains with which the burdens are bound should be understood spiritually.

But all these things, the shoulders, the finger, the burdens, and the bands with which they bind the burdens, have a spiritual meaning. Herein also the Lord speaks generally against all masters who enjoin high things, but do not even little things.

And together with these He mentions also another charge against them, that they are harsh to those accountable to them.

"For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders, but they will not move them with their finger." He mentions here a twofold wickedness, their requiring great and extreme strictness of life, without any indulgence, from those over whom they rule, and their allowing to themselves great security; the opposite to which the truly good ruler ought to hold; in what concerns himself, to be an unpardoning and severe judge, but in the matters of those whom he rules, to be gentle and ready to make allowances; the contrary to which was the conduct of these men.

For such are all they who practise self restraint in mere words, unpardoning and grievous to bear as having no experience of the difficulty in actions. And this itself too is no small fault, and in no ordinary way increases the former charge.

But do thou mark, I pray thee, how He aggravates this accusation also. For He did not say, "they cannot," but, "they will not." And He did not say, "to bear," but, "to move with a finger," that is, not even to come near them, nor to touch them.

Therefore up until now the scribes and Pharisees among the Jews have been sitting on the throne of Moses. I am not saying this because only scribes and Pharisees will sit on the seat of Moses. They speak but do not do anything, laying heavy and unsupportable burdens on the shoulders of men.Yet they are not even willing to lift a finger to lighten those burdens. For I judge that those who rightly understand and explain Moses according to his spiritual power are the ones who will indeed sit on the throne of Moses. But these are not the scribes and Pharisees. They are much better. They are the beloved disciples of Christ who interpret his word through the grace of God. They are able to sort out different meanings in different words. Indeed, therefore, before the coming of Christ they sat well on the throne of Moses who interpreted the sayings of Moses well and according to reason. However, after the coming of Christ, they sit on the throne of the church, which is the seat and throne of Christ.

Just as the scribes and Pharisees wickedly sat upon the throne of Moses, so do some in the church who sit upon the ecclesiastical throne. There are some in the church who have the right understanding of the law and pass it on correctly. They say what each person needs to do, but they themselves do not do it. Some of them lay heavy burdens upon the shoulders of men, but they won't even lift a finger to help. These are the ones the Savior is talking about when he says, "Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of God." There are others, however, who sit on the throne, who act before they speak and speak wisely, restraining those who are disordered. They place merciful burdens on the shoulders of others. They themselves are the first to lift the heavy burden, for the exhortation of other listeners. It is these of whom the Lord speaks when he says, "He who does so and teaches others to do so, this man will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

And to the Scribes and Pharisees of whom He is now speaking, heavy burdens not to be borne are the commandments of the Law; as St. Peter speaks in the Acts, Why seek ye to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear? (Acts 15:10.) For commending the burdens of the Law by fabulous proofs, they bound as it were the shoulders of the heart of their hearers with bands, that thus tied as though with proof of reason to them, they might not fling them off; but themselves did not in the least measure fulfil them, that is, not only did not wholly, but did not so much as attempt to.

Such also are they who lay a heavy burden upon those who come to penitence, so that while men would avoid present punishment, they overlook that which is to come. For if you lay upon a boy's shoulders a burden more than he can bear, he must needs cither cast it off, or be broken down by it; so the man on whom you lay too grievous a burden of penance must either wholly refuse it, or if he submit himself to it will find himself unable to bear it, and so be offended, and sin worse. Also, if we should be wrong in imposing too light a penance, is it not better to have to answer for mercy than for severity? Where the master of the household is liberal, the steward should not be oppressive. If God be kind, should His Priest be harsh? Do you seek thereby the character of sanctity? Be strict in ordering your own life, in that of others lenient; let men hear of you as enjoining little, and performing much. The Priest who gives licence to himself, and exacts the utmost from others, is like a corrupt tax-gatherer in the state, who to ease himself taxes others heavily.

The Pharisees laid heavy burdens on men, forcing them to fulfill the commandments of the law which were detailed and difficult to observe. Indeed, they weighed them down with more than the commandments of the law by handing down certain traditions that went beyond the law; these traditions they did not move with even one of their fingers, that is, they themselves did not practice them, nor even dare to undertake such burdens. For whenever a teacher not only teaches but practices what he teaches, then he is seen to carry the burden and to labor along with those who are taught. But when he gives me a load to carry, but himself practices nothing, then indeed he weighs me down, showing by what he himself neglects to do that it is impossible to accomplish what he says. The Lord, therefore, is accusing the Pharisees of themselves not wanting to carry the weight of the commandments and to practice them. Not only do they not do anything good, but they pretend that they do good. Even if they had done something good, because they did it for the sake of appearance, any gain they might have derived from it would have fallen through their fingers. So indeed they are worthy of condemnation now, since they do not do good and yet they wish men to think that they do. What things do they practice? "They make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments." What this means is this: in the law it is said, "Thou shalt bind [the words of the law] to thy hand and they shall be immovable before thine eyes" (Deut. 6:8). So the Pharisees would inscribe on two pieces of leather the ten commandments of the law, and they would attach one to their forehead and suspend the other from their right hand. They would make borders on the ends of their garments, consisting of blood-red threads like a fringe. For this, too, they found a text in the law (Num. 15:38-40), so that when they saw these things they would not forget the commandments of God. But God did not desire this; rather, to have the phylactery upon the hand meant that one must labor in the commandments, and the blood-red fringe showed that we must be signed with the blood of Christ. But the Pharisees made large phylacteries and fringes, so that those who saw them would think that they were keepers of the law.

For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, etc. For the Lord wishes to exaggerate their malice, because they say, and do not. If they simply said and did not do, this would still be tolerable; but this does not suffice them, because they add most grievous burdens to the precepts of God. And therefore their presumption is noted, because they bind other burdens upon the burdens imposed by God, because they make new observances, as it says in Mark 7:2, that they forbade eating bread unless the hands were frequently washed; against that passage in Isaiah 58:6: loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress. Likewise, their cruelty is noted, for they impose burdens, against that passage in 1 John 5:3: for the commandments of God are not heavy. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light, above at 11:30. Likewise, their indiscretion is noted, because if they imposed a heavy burden on a strong person, it would not be a great thing; but they impose insupportable burdens on the weak: for that cannot be carried which exceeds the strength of the one carrying it. In Acts 15:10: this is a burden which neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear. Likewise, their excessive severity is noted, because if they imposed a burden and gave indulgence, this would still be sufficient; but with a certain violence they command. They lay them on men's shoulders; hence they exceed in speaking. Likewise, they exceed in not doing, because there are some men who do not wish to accomplish everything, yet they wish to accomplish something. Likewise, there are some who, even if they do not wish to do something difficult, yet wish to do something light. Likewise, there are some who, even though they do not act, yet have the will to act. But he who wishes none of these things exceeds in malice; hence he says, but with a finger of their own they will not move them; hence they not only did not do them, but were unwilling even to move them with their finger, i.e., not even to begin them. Nor even to do light things, which are signified by a finger. Therefore you ought to do what they teach, but they are not to be followed as regards their works, because they do not even the least thing. Chrysostom says: such are those who speak great things and do small things; such are like tax collectors, who make others pay more than the taxes demand, but they themselves pay nothing. Let me not see you teaching great things but doing small things. Hence the Lord will spare you more if you incline to mercy than to severity.

Three brothers once came to a hermit in Scetis. One of them said to him, 'Abba, I have memorized the Old and New Testaments.' But the hermit answered, 'And you have filled the air with words.' The second said to him, 'I have written out the Old and New Testaments with my own hand.' But the hermit said, 'And you have filled the window-ledge with manuscripts.' The third said, 'The grass is growing up my chimney.' But the hermit answered, 'And you have driven away hospitality.'

They called those phylacteries "little pictures" of the Decalogue, because whoever had them had his own fortification and defense. But the knowledgeable Pharisees did not have them, because these things must be carried in the heart, not the body. They may have children and treasure boxes and granaries, but they do not have knowledge of God. Even today there are those superstitious ladies who have their "little Gospels." In the absence of the true cross and other such things, they indeed have the zeal of God but no true knowledge of him. Even today, they too do these same kinds of things in front of us by liquefying gnats for drinking and gulping down honey. This is what some see as the small, short fringe mandated by the law. But a better case is the woman with the bloody flow who touched the fringe of the Lord's garment. She was not motivated by the superstitious sentiments of the Pharisees. And what is more, she was healed at his touch. And so when they widened their phylacteries and lengthened their fringes, attracting the honor of the people, they were exposed in their hypocrisies, showing why they seek the first seats at dinners and the front chairs in synagogues. They point out gluttony and glory in public and are hailed by men as rabbi, which in colloquial Latin means "teacher."

(Verse 5.) All their works they do to be seen by others. Therefore, whoever does anything to be seen by others, is a scribe and a Pharisee.

For the Lord, when He had given the commandments of the Law through Moses, added at the end, And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be ever before thine eyes; (Deut. 6:8.) the meaning of which is, Let my precepts be in thine hand so as to be fulfilled in thy works; let them be before thine eyes so as that thou shalt meditate upon them day and night. This the Pharisees misinterpreting, wrote on parchments the Decalogue of Moses, that is, the Ten Commandments, and folding them up, tied them on their forehead, so making them a crown for their head, that they should be always before their eyes. Moses had in another place given command that they should make fringes of blue in the borders of their garments, to distinguish the people of Israel (Numb. 15:39.); that as in their bodies circumcision, so in their garments the fringe, might discriminate the Jewish nation. But these superstitious teachers, catching at popular favour, and making gain of silly women, made broad hems, and fastened them with sharp pins, that as they walked or sat they might be pricked, and by such monitors be recalled to the duties of God's ministry. This embroidery then of the Decalogue they called phylacteries, that is, conservatories, because those who wore them, wore them for their own protection and security. So little did the Pharisees understand that they were to be worn on the heart and not on the body; for in equal degree may cases and chests be said to have books, which assuredly have not the knowledge of God.

But wherein are they earnest, and vigorous? In the things forbidden. For, "all their works they do," He saith, "to be seen of men." These things He saith, accusing them in respect of vainglory, which kind of thing was their ruin. For the things before were signs of harshness and remissness, but these of the mad desire of glory. This drew them off from God, this caused them to strive before other spectators, and ruined them. For whatever kind of spectators any one may have, since it hath become his study to please these, such also are the contests he exhibits And he that wrestles among the noble, such also are the conflicts he takes in hand, but he among the cold and supine, himself also becomes more remiss. For instance, hath any one a beholder that delights in ridicule? he himself too becomes a mover of ridicule, that he may delight the spectator: hath another one who is earnest minded, and practises self-government? he endeavors himself to be such as he is, since such is the disposition of him who praises him.

But see again that here too the charge is with aggravation. For neither is it that they do some things in this way, some in another way, but all things absolutely this way.

Then, having blamed them for vainglory, He shows that it is not even about great and necessary things they are vainglorious (for neither had they these, but were destitute of good works), but for things without warmth or worth, and such as were certain proofs of their baseness, the phylacteries, the borders; of their garments. "For they make broad their phylacteries," He saith, "and enlarge the borders of their garments."

And what are these phylacteries, and these borders? Since they were continually forgetting God's benefits, He commanded His marvellous works to be inscribed on little tablets, and that these should be suspended from their hands (wherefore also He said, "They shall be immoveable in thine eyes"), which they called phylacteries; as many of our women now wear Gospels hung from their necks. And in order that by another thing again they may be reminded, like as many often do, binding round their finger with a piece of linen or a thread, as being likely to forget, this God enjoined them as children to do, "to sew a ribbon of blue on their garments, upon the fringe that hung round their feet, that they might look at it, and remember the commandments;" and they were called "borders."

In these things then they were diligent, making wide the strips of the tablets, and enlarging the borders of their garments; which was a sign of the most extreme vanity. For wherefore art thou vainglorious, and dost make these wide? what, is this thy good work? what cloth it profit thee at all, if thou gain not the good results from them. For God seeks not the enlarging of these and making them wide, but our remembering His benefits. But if for almsgiving and prayer, although they be attended with labor, and be good deeds on our parts, we must not seek vainglory, how dost thou, O Jew, pride thyself in these things, which most of all convict thy remissness.

And their works likewise they do to be seen of men, using outward circumcision, taking away actual leaven out of their houses, and doing such like things. But Christ's disciples fulfil the Law in things secret, being Jews inwardly, as the Apostle speaks. (Rom. 2:29.)

Every substance breeds in itself that which destroys it, as wood the worm, and garments the moth; so the Devil strives to corrupt the ministry of the Priests, who are ordained for the edification of holiness, endeavouring that this good, while it is done to be seen of men, should be turned into evil. Take away this fault from the clergy, and you will have no further labour in their reform, for of this it comes that a clergyman who has sinned can hardly perform penance. Also the Lord here points out the cause why they could not believe in Christ, because nearly all they did was in order to be seen of men; for he whose desire is for earthly glory from men, cannot believe on Christ who preaches things heavenly. I have read one who interprets this place thus. In Moses' seat, that is, in the rank and degree instituted by Moses, the Scribes and Pharisees are seated unworthily, forasmuch as they preached to others the Law which foretold Christ's coming, but themselves did not receive Him when come. For this cause He exhorts the people to hear the Law which they preached, that is, to believe in Christ who was preached by the Law, but not to follow the Scribes and Pharisees in their disbelief of Him. And He shows the reason why they preached the coming of Christ out of the Law, yet did not believe on Him; namely, because they did not preach that Christ should come through any desire of His coming, but that they might be seen by men to be doctors of the Law.

But after their example do many invent Hebrew names of Angels, and write them, and bind them on themselves, and they seem dreadful to such as are without understanding. Others again wear round their neck a portion of the Gospel written out. But is not the Gospel read every day in the Church, and heard by all? Those therefore who receive no profit from the Gospel sounded in their ears, how shall the having them hung about their neck save them? Further, wherein is the virtue of the Gospel? in the shape of its letters, or in the understanding its meaning? If in the characters, you do well to hang them round your neck; if in their meaning, they are of more profit when laid up in the heart, than hung round the neck. But others explain this place thus, That they made broad their teachings concerning special observances, as phylacteries, or preservatives of salvation, preaching them continually to the people. And the broad fringes of their garments they explain of the same undue stress upon such commandments.

And all their works they do to be seen by men. Here he sets forth their intention; and he does two things. First, he reveals their intention; secondly, he warns the disciples to avoid them. And first he sets forth their intention; secondly, he explains it, at for they make their phylacteries broad, etc. What is the reason why they say and do not? Because they are incorrigible. Now the reason why a man is difficult to correct, or incorrigible, is that he seeks his own glory. Hence Chrysostom says: take vainglory away from the clergy, and without labor you will cut away all other vices. Hence he begins by saying: all their works they do to be seen by men; John 12:43: they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. Hence he says, all their works they do, because not only one thing, but all things, to be seen by men, against what is said above at 6:16: be not as the hypocrites. Be not therefore like to them. There follows the explanation: for they make their phylacteries broad, etc. And he does two things. First, he says what they do; secondly, what they seek, at and they love the first places at feasts, etc. What do they do? They do not do burdensome things, but certain things that are outwardly apparent, they do well; hence Bernard says: they bear garments of sanctity, and this is not burdensome, which they displayed in phylacteries and in fringes. For it says in Deuteronomy 6:8: you shall bind them on your hand, and before your eyes. On the hand, i.e., in the completion of a work, and before your eyes, i.e., in your consideration. Therefore, these men, desiring glory, so that they might appear to be zealous for the commandments of God, would write the commandments on a strip and place them before their eyes, and they called this phylacteries, and they made these broader so that they might be more seen by men; hence it says, they make their phylacteries broad. Likewise, regarding the fringes, it is read in Numbers 15:38 that the Lord commanded them to make fringes, because he willed that the Jewish people be distinguished from other peoples. And these men, to show themselves more religious, made the fringes larger and bound thorns to them, so that they might seem to prick themselves, in order to remind themselves that they were Jews. Therefore they exhibit only external things; above at 7:15: they come to you in the clothing of sheep.

(Verse 6.) For they enlarge their phylacteries and magnify their fringes. They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called Rabbi by men. Woe to us, miserable ones, to whom the vices of the Pharisees have been passed on. When the Lord gave the commandments of the Law through Moses, He added at the end: Bind them upon your hand, and they shall be before your eyes (Deut. VI, 8). And the meaning is: Let my precepts be in your hand, so that they may be fulfilled in action: let them be before your eyes, so that day and night you may meditate on them. The Pharisees, by misinterpreting this, wrote the Ten Commandments of Moses on scrolls, folding them up and binding them on their foreheads, making them like a crown on their heads so that they would always be before their eyes. This is still done today by the Indians, Persians, and Babylonians, and those who do this are considered religious among the people. Moses also commanded (Num. XV) that the Israelite people should make blue tassels on the corners of their garments, to distinguish them as the chosen people, just as circumcision is a sign for the Jewish people's bodies, so their clothing should have some distinction. Superstitious teachers, seeking popular applause, and pursuing gains from women, made large phylacteries and bound the sharpest thorns in them so that, as they walked or sat, they would be punctured and, as it were, be drawn by this admonition to the duties of the Lord and to the ministries of his service. Therefore, because the Lord had said that they do all their works to be seen by men, which he had accused in general, he now divides them into parts. Those little tablets of the Decalogue were called phylacteries, which whoever had them would have as a safeguard and a reminder of themselves: the Pharisees not understanding that these things should be carried in the heart, not on the body; otherwise, even cabinets and chests have books, but do not have knowledge of God. This is done among us by superstitious women, in little Gospels, and in the wood of the cross, and in similar things (which indeed they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge). (Romans 10) Even today, they strain out a gnat and swallow a camel (Below, in the same place). Such was the fringe, small and short, from the Law and the precepts, which was touched by the woman who was flowing with blood, in the cloak of the Lord (Luke 8, above). But she was not moved by the superstitious thorns of the Pharisees; rather, she was healed by touching it. And when they excessively enlarge their phylacteries and make large fringes, seeking glory from men, they are accused in the rest, why they seek the first places at dinners, and the first seats in synagogues; and in public they cut throats and glory; and they are called Rabbi by men, which is said in Latin language, teacher. Denique sequitur:

Seeing they thus make broad their phylacteries, and make them broad fringes, desiring to have glory of men, they are convicted also in other things; For they love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues.

But they not in these only, but in other little things, suffered from this disease.

For, "they love," He saith, "the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi." For these things, although one may think them small, yet are they a cause of great evils. These things have overthrown both cities and churches.

And it comes upon me now even to weep, when I hear of the first seats, and the greetings, and consider how many ills were hence engendered to the churches of God, which it is not necessary to publish to you now; nay rather as many as are aged men do not even need to learn these things from us.

But mark thou, I pray thee, how vainglory prevailed; when they were commanded not to be vainglorious, even in the synagogues, where they had entered to discipline others.

For to have this feeling at feasts, to howsoever great a degree, doth not seem to be so dreadful a thing; although even there the teachers ought to be held in reverence, and not in the church only, but everywhere. And like as a man, wherever he may appear, is manifestly distinguished from the brutes; so also ought the teacher, both speaking and holding his peace, and dining, and doing whatever it may be, to be distinguished as well by his gait, as by his look, and by his garb, and by all things generally. But they were on every account objects of ridicule, and in every respect disgraced themselves, making it their study to follow what they ought to flee. For they love them, it is said; but if the loving them be a matter of blame, what a thing must the doing them be; and to hunt and strive after them, how great an evil.

What are we to say about those who "love the places of honor at banquets and the front seats in synagogues and the highest respect in public places and to be called rabbi by everyone"? We must first admit that this kind of delight is found not only among the scribes and Pharisees but also in the church of Christ, and not only at dinner, while taking places at the table, but also the front seats in church. These are the deacons, or those who wish to become deacons, yet who "squander the savings of widows, praying for a good opportunity" and yet "will receive a greater judgment." They covet even more avidly the highly visible "first seats" of those called priests. Indeed, however, even they do not put as much effort into their scheming as those who are called bishops, the ones who love "being called rabbi by men." It is they who ought most clearly to understand that a bishop is to be "above reproach" and so on, so that he would be called "bishop" not by men [only] but rather before God.

For He rebukes not those who recline in the highest place, but those who love such places, blaming the will not the deed. For to no purpose does he humble himself in place who exalts himself in heart. For some vain men hearing that it was a commendable thing to seat himself in the lowest place, chooses so to do; and thus not only does not put away the vanity of his heart, but adds this additional vain ostentation of his humility, as one who would be thought righteous and humble. For many proud men take the lowest place in their bodies, but in haughtiness of heart think themselves to be seated among the highest; and there are many humble men who, placed among the highest, are inwardly in their own esteem among the lowest.

It should be noted, that He does not forbid those to whom this belongs by right of rank to be saluted in the forum, or to sit or recline in the highest room; but those who unduly desire these things, whether they obtain them or not, these He enjoins the believers to shun as wicked.

Alas! What is He saying? They are condemned even for loving these things. If he who only loves the place of honor is rebuked, what punishment does that man deserve who does everything to satisfy this love? In the very place where they ought to have taught others to be humble, that is, in "the chief seats in the synagogues," there they themselves were corrupted. For they did everything for the sake of glory, and they were not ashamed of doing these things, but wished all the more for men to call out to them, "Rabbi, Rabbi," which means "teacher."

And what do they seek? To be seen by men. Now this glory is shown in three things: in primacy, in the reverence shown, and in the praise of the name; for whoever seeks glory seeks one of these, or all of them. But these men sought primacy in a sacred place and in a public place; hence regarding the public place he says, and they love the first places at feasts. For they wished to sit at the head of tables, against that passage in Luke 14:8: when you are invited to a wedding, sit down in the lowest place. And he says they love, because it is not authority that is reprehended, but the disordered appetite. For some are in the first place bodily, who nevertheless in their heart sit in the lowest place; and conversely, someone sits in the lowest place so that it might be said, "Look, he is humble," and so forth, but he is in the first place in his heart, because from this he seeks glory. Likewise, they seek primacy in a sacred place, namely in the church; hence he says, and the first chairs in the synagogues, against that passage in Sirach 7:4: seek not of man the pre-eminence, nor of the king the seat of honor.

They love the first salutations, first, that is, not in time only, before others; but in tone, that we should say with a loud voice, Hail, Rabbi; and in body that we should bow low our head; and in place, that the salutation should be in public.

That is, they wish to be called, not to be such; they desire the name, and neglect the duties.

And herein they are not without fault, that the same men should be concerned in the litigations of the forum, who in the synagogue in Moses' seat, seek to be called Rabbi by men.

Likewise, they desire reverence; hence he says, and salutations in the marketplace, i.e., that they be greeted and honored by men, that the hood be removed before them, and that knees be bent before them; and they desire to be called by men, Rabbi, i.e., that they be praised as masters. Origen refers this to those who desire dignities in the churches: for there is a certain dignity of archdeacons, deacons, priests, and bishops. Deacons are appointed to preside over tables, Acts 6:2ff. Hence those who desire the first places at feasts desire the position of deacons. Likewise, the chair properly belongs to priests; therefore those who love the chairs love the position of priests. But those who ought to be masters are properly the bishops; hence those who wish to be called Rabbi love to be bishops.

(Verse 8 onwards) But you must not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, who is in heaven. Nor are you to be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. Neither be called masters; for One is your Master, that is, Christ. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Father, because from Him all things are. Teacher, because through Him all things: or because through the dispensation of His flesh, we all are reconciled to God. It is asked why the Apostle, the teacher of the Gentiles, declared himself to be against this precept (2 Corinthians 5; Colossians 1); or how, in the common language, especially in the monasteries of Palestine and Egypt, they call each other Fathers? This is resolved as follows: It is one thing to be a father or a teacher by nature, another thing by indulgence. If we call someone our father, we show honor to their age, not that they are the author of our life. Likewise, a teacher is called such from the fellowship of a true teacher. And to avoid endless repetition, just as one God and one Son do not prejudice others from being called gods and sons by adoption, so one father and one teacher do not prejudice others from being called fathers and teachers in an abusive manner.

(cont. Helvid. 15.) All men may be called brethren in affection, which is of two kinds, general and particular. Particular, by which all Christians are brethren; general, by which all men being born of one Father are bound together by like tie of kindred.

The other things then He carried no further than to accuse them, as being small and trifling, and as though His disciples needed not at all to be corrected about these matters; but what was a cause of all the evils, even ambition, and the violent seizing of the teacher's chair, this He brings forward, and corrects with diligence, touching this vehemently and earnestly charging them.

For what saith He? "But be not ye called Rabbi." Then follows the cause also; "For one is your master, and all ye are brethren;" and one hath nothing more than another, in respect of his knowing nothing from himself. Wherefore Paul also saith, "For who is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers?" He said not masters.

You are not "to be called rabbi" and especially "not by men," nor are you to love to be called righteous by someone else. "For you have one teacher, and you are all brothers" to each other. For you have been born anew, not only from water but also from the spirit, and you have received the "spirit of adoption," so that it might be said of you that you were "born not of the flesh, nor of the will of man" but from God. It is hard to imagine this being said of anyone or any son until now. You do not call anyone on earth "Father" in the sense that you say "our Father" of the one who gives all things through all ages and according to the divine plan. Whoever ministers with the divine word does not put himself forward to be called "teacher," for he knows that when he performs well it is Christ who is within him. He should only call himself "servant" according to the command of Christ, saying, "Whoever is greater among you, let him be the servant of all."

And in the Church of Christ are found some who take to themselves the uppermost places, that is, become deacons; next they aspire to the chief seats of those that are called presbyters; and some intrigue to be styled among men Bishop, that is, to be called Rabbi. But Christ's disciple loves the uppermost place indeed, but at the spiritual banquet, where he may feed on the choicer morsels of spiritual food, for, with the Apostles who sit upon twelve thrones, he loves the chief seats, and hastes by his good works to render himself worthy of such seats; and he also loves salutations made in the heavenly market-place, that is, in the heavenly congregations of the primitive. But the righteous man would be called Rabbi, neither by man, nor by any other, because there is One Master of all men.

Be not ye called Rabbi, that ye take not to yourselves what belongs to God. And call not others Rabbi, that ye pay not to men a divine honour. For One is the Master of all, who instructs all men by nature. For if man were taught by man, all men would learn that have teachers; but seeing it is not man that teaches, but God, many are taught, but few learn. Man cannot by teaching impart an understanding to man, but that understanding which is given by God man calls forth

So, too, righteousness-for the God of righteousness and of creation is the same-was first in a rudimentary state, having a natural fear of God: from that stage it advanced, through the Law and the Prophets, to infancy; from that stage it passed, through the Gospel, to the fervour of youth: now, through the Paraclete, it is settling into maturity. He will be, after Christ, the only one to be called and revered as Master; for He speaks not from Himself, but what is commanded by Christ.

Therefore a wife, when her husband is dead, will not marry; for if she marry, she will of course be marrying (his) brother: for "all we are brethren." Again, the woman, if intending to marry, has to marry "in the Lord; " that is, not to an heathen, but to a brother, inasmuch as even the ancient law forbids marriage with members of another tribe.

Christ does not prohibit one from being called "teacher," but rather He prohibits the passionate desire to be so called, and the eager pursuit of every possible means to acquire the name. For the dignity of the office of "teacher" belongs chiefly to God alone.

But be not you called Rabbi. In this part he forbids the imitation of glory; secondly, he invites to humility, at he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. Now it should be noted that he who has primacy has the duty of instructing and governing; the first of these belongs properly to a master, the second to fathers. And therefore he first prohibits vainglory with respect to both; the second is at and call none your father upon earth. Regarding the first, he first sets forth the teaching; secondly, he assigns the reason. He says, then, but be not you called Rabbi; against which is that passage in 1 Timothy 5:17: let the priests that rule well be esteemed worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. It can be said, be not, i.e., do not seek it ambitiously. And he adds the reason: for one is your master, etc., namely God; Psalm 84:9: I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me. But what does he mean to say? It should be said that he is properly called a master who has his doctrine from himself, not one who disperses to others what he has received from another. And thus there is only one master, namely God, who properly has the doctrine; but by ministry many are masters. If you seek authority, you seek what belongs to God; but if you seek ministry, you seek what belongs to humility; hence it follows, he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant, i.e., he will consider himself a servant. Chrysostom says that just as there is one God by nature and many by participation, so also there is one master naturally and many ministerially. But how can a man know that he does not have doctrine from himself? It is clear, because if so, it would be in his power to give doctrine to whomever he wished, but he cannot; rather, this belongs to God alone, who illumines the heart from within. And there is a manifest example in health, because a physician heals by administering certain things externally; but nature principally heals, and the physician only provides certain aids; and the physician heals in the way nature does, namely by reducing to a mean. So it is with knowledge, because the principle is ours from nature, namely the intellect; the one who teaches provides certain helps for doctrine, as the physician does for health, but God alone operates in the intellect. Hence one is your master; hence you ought not to be called masters. Likewise, he shows that they should not love the authority of a father: but you are all brothers, and he shows this from the equal condition. In the matter of teaching he made no difference in the quality of condition, but in paternity he adds the condition; hence he says, you are all brothers, because from me your father; Malachi 4:5: behold, I will send you Elias the prophet; and afterward: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. Likewise, you are my children through regeneration; 1 Peter 1:3: who has regenerated us unto a lively hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hence one does not have authority over another.

Matthew twenty-three: Call none your father upon earth. It is clear that he does not mean the carnal father, therefore he means the spiritual father. To this it must be said that father means one who communicates nature, and master means one who communicates knowledge; and since God alone is He who principally bestows nature and infuses knowledge, therefore both names, namely of father and of master, ought to be attributed to Him as the principal source of both knowledge and nature, inasmuch as they denote principal authority, and not to another. But because God in these things also works outwardly through human ministry, therefore both names, insofar as they denote ministry, can be communicated to a human being, not as to a principal agent, but as to a steward.

And that the disciples may ever remember that they are the children of one parent, and that by their new birth they have passed the limits of their earthly origin.

No one should be called teacher or father except God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the Father, because all things are from him. He alone is the teacher, because through him are made all things and through him all things are reconciled to God.But one might ask, "Is it against this precept when the apostle calls himself the teacher of the Gentiles? Or when, as in colloquial speech widely found in the monasteries of Egypt and Palestine, they call each other Father?" Remember this distinction. It is one thing to be a father or a teacher by nature, another to be so by generosity. For when we call a man father and reserve the honor of his age, we may thereby be failing to honor the Author of our own lives. One is rightly called a teacher only from his association with the true Teacher. I repeat: The fact that we have one God and one Son of God through nature does not prevent others from being understood as sons of God by adoption. Similarly this does not make the terms father and teacher useless or prevent others from being called father.

It is a difficulty that the Apostle against this command calls himself the teacher of the Gentiles; and that in monasteries in their common conversation, they call one another, Father. It is to be cleared thus. It is one thing to be father or master by nature, another by sufferance. Thus when we call any man our father, we do it to show respect to his age, not as regarding him as the author of our being. We also call men 'Master,' from resemblance to a real master; and, not to use tedious repetition, as the One God and One Son, who are by nature, do not preclude us from calling others gods and sons by adoption, so the One Father and One Master, do not preclude us from speaking of other fathers and masters by an abuse of the terms.

Seest thou not those who adopt to themselves sons here, how they commit not the act to slaves, but are themselves present at the judgment-seat? Even so neither hath God committed His gift to angels, but Himself is present, commanding and saying, "Call no man Father on earth;" not that thou shouldest dishonor them that gave thee birth, but that thou shouldest prefer to all those Him that made thee, and enrolled thee amongst His own children. For He that hath given the greater, that is, hath set Himself before thee, much more will He not think scorn to distribute unto thee of His body.

And again, "Call not, father," not that they should not call, but they may know whom they ought to call Father, in the highest sense. For like as the master is not a master principally; so neither is the father. For He is cause of all, both of the masters, and of the fathers.

Not that when Christ is here said to be our Master, the Father is excluded, as neither when God is said to be our Father, is Christ excluded, Who is the Father of men.

But who calls no man father upon earth? He who in every action done as before God, says, Our Father, which art in Heaven.

And call no man your Father upon earth; because in this world though man begets man, yet there is one Father who created all men. For we have not beginning of life from our parents, but we have our life transmitted through them.

Why not? He had found the son whom he had lost; he had felt him to be all the dearer of whom he had made a gain. Who is that father to be understood by us to be? God, surely: no one is so truly a Father; no one so rich in paternal love.

However, our Lord very frequently proclaimed God as a Father to us; nay, even gave a precept "that we call no one on earth father, but the Father whom we have in the heavens: and so, in thus praying, we are likewise obeying the precept.

To Abraham, in fine, they appeal; prohibited though they are to acknowledge any other father than God. Grant, now, that Abraham is our father; grant, too, that Paul is.

In saying "Call no man your father," He is not prohibiting the honor given to parents, since He desires that we should honor our parents and especially our spiritual fathers; rather He is inducing us to acknowledge the true Father, namely, God, for He is chiefly and essentially our Father. Fathers in the flesh are not the authors of procreation, but rather, servants and accessories.

And it follows, and call none your father upon earth: because you are children of the heavenly Father, therefore you should not have a father on earth. He is properly said to have a father on earth who seeks his inheritance on earth; and he has a father in heaven who seeks his inheritance in heaven; 1 Peter 1:4: who has regenerated us unto an incorruptible inheritance, and undefiled, and that cannot fade, reserved in heaven. Why then are the superiors in monasteries called fathers? It should be said that it is with respect to authority; Ephesians 3:4: you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, etc. For one is your father. Above at 6:9: our Father, who art in heaven.

(non occ.) Because it was clear who was the Father of all, by this which was said, Which art in Heaven, He would teach them who was the Master of all, and therefore repeats the same command concerning a master, Neither be ye called masters; for one is your Master, even Christ.

And again He adds, "Neither be ye called guides, for one is your guide, even Christ;" and He said not, I. For like as above He said, "What think ye of Christ?" and He said not, "of me," so here too.

But I should be glad to ask here, what they would say, who are repeatedly applying the term one, one, to the Father alone, to the rejection of the Only-begotten. Is the Father guide? All would declare it, and none would gainsay it. And yet "one," He saith, "is your guide, even Christ." For like as Christ, being called the one guide, casts not out the Father from being guide; even so the Father, being called Master, doth not cast out the Son from being Master. For the expression, one, one, is spoken in contra-distinction to men, and the rest of the creation.

Likewise, neither be ye called masters, for one is your master: Christ. Hence Christ attributes mastership to himself, because Christ is the Word; and therefore it belongs to him to teach, because no one teaches except through the Word. Likewise, he is master with respect to his human nature, because he was sent to teach; John 1:18: no man has seen God at any time. The only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. Likewise, ibid. 13:13: you call me master and Lord.

Since those who have arrived teaching new beliefs for the most part do so from conceit and arrogance, I will say something concerning the value of the teaching. The Lord cuts short this opinion and way as leading to destruction. He says, "You love glory and the places of first importance." Meanwhile he desires the servant's role and cultivates humility.

Having warned them therefore against this grievous pest, and amended them, He instructs also how they may escape it; by humility. Wherefore He adds also, "He that is greatest among you shall be your servant. For whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and whosoever shall abase himself shall be exalted."

For nothing is equal to the practice of modesty, wherefore He is continually reminding them of this virtue, both when He brought the children into the midst, and now. And, when on the mount, beginning the beatitudes, He began from hence. And in this place, He plucks it up by the roots hereby, saying, "He that abaseth himself shall be exalted."

Seest thou how He draws off the hearer right over to the contrary thing. For not only doth He forbid him to set his heart upon the first place, but requires him to follow after the last. For so shalt thou obtain thy desire, He saith. Wherefore he that pursues his desire for the first, must follow after the last place. "For he that abaseth himself shall be exalted."

I wish everyone might hear this, and most of all deacons, priests and bishops, especially those who think to themselves that these were not the words written: "He who exalts himself will be humbled." On this basis, they then act as if they do not know that he said, "He who has humbled himself will be exalted." They do not hear him who said, "Learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly of heart." They thought themselves to be self-inspired and through this inspiration fell "into the judgment of the devil." They had not thought of critically examining their false humility. They would have done better to have remembered the word of wisdom that says, "The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself, and you will find grace before God." It was the Lord who provided the pattern for this process. No matter how great he was, he humbled himself. For "though he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name."

Or otherwise; And if one minister the divine word, knowing that it is Christ that makes it to be fruitful, such a one professes himself a minister and not a master; whence it follows, He that is greatest among you, let him be your servant. As Christ Himself, who was in truth our Master, professed Himself a minister, saying, I am in the midst of you as one that ministers. (Luke 22:27.) And well does He conclude this prohibition of all vain-glory with the words, And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Showing them what is to be gained by humility, He says that he who is great among you should be your servant and the least.

He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. After he has drawn them back from pride, he exhorts them to humility. And first he sets forth the exhortation; secondly, he assigns the reason. And this can be continued as follows. Chrysostom says: you ought not to be called fathers, nor masters; hence you should not seek these things ambitiously, but rather humility. Hence, he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant, i.e., he ought to show himself a servant. Hence 1 Corinthians 4:1: let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ. Or in another way: he had said, be not called Rabbi; hence they might say to him: do you wish that there be no authority on earth? The Lord says: this I do not wish, but I wish that he who is the greatest among you be a servant, i.e., that he not consider himself as a superior, but as a servant; 2 Corinthians 4:5: ourselves your servants through Jesus. And this is what is said in Luke 22:27: which is greater, he that serves, or he that sits at table? etc.

A hermit said, 'He who is praised and honoured above what he deserves suffers grievous loss. He who receives no honour at all among men, shall be glorified hereafter.'

The whole secret of the practical success of Christendom lies in the Christian humility, however imperfectly fulfilled. For with the removal of all question of merit or payment, the soul is suddenly released for incredible voyages. If we ask a sane man how much he merits, his mind shrinks instinctively and instantaneously. It is doubtful whether he merits six feet of earth. But if you ask him what he can conquer—he can conquer the stars. Thus comes the thing called Romance, a purely Christian product. A man cannot deserve adventures; he cannot earn dragons and hippogriffs. The mediaeval Europe which asserted humility gained Romance; the civilization which gained Romance has gained the habitable globe.

For the truth is much stranger even than it appears in the formal doctrine of the sin of pride. It is not only true that humility is a much wiser and more vigorous thing than pride. It is also true that vanity is a much wiser and more vigorous thing than pride. Vanity is social—it is almost a kind of comradeship; pride is solitary and uncivilized. Vanity is active; it desires the applause of infinite multitudes; pride is passive, desiring only the applause of one person, which it already has. Vanity is humorous, and can enjoy the joke even of itself; pride is dull, and cannot even smile. ... Stevenson had found that the secret of life lies in laughter and humility. Self is the gorgon. Vanity sees it in the mirror of other men and lives. Pride studies it for itself and is turned to stone.

All real democracy is an attempt (like that of a jolly hostess) to bring the shy people out. For every practical purpose of a political state, for every practical purpose of a tea-party, he that abaseth himself must be exalted. At a tea-party it is equally obvious that he that exalteth himself must be abased, if possible without bodily violence. Now people talk of democracy as being coarse and turbulent: it is a self-evident error in mere history. Aristocracy is the thing that is always coarse and turbulent: for it means appealing to the self-confident people. Democracy means appealing to the different people. Democracy means getting those people to vote who would never have the cheek to govern: and (according to Christian ethics) the precise people who ought to govern are the people who have not the cheek to do it.

As a matter of fact, the strongest nations are those, like Prussia or Japan, which began from very mean beginnings, but have not been too proud to sit at the feet of the foreigner and learn everything from him. Almost every obvious and direct victory has been the victory of the plagiarist. This is, indeed, only a very paltry by-product of humility, but it is a product of humility, and, therefore, it is successful. Prussia had no Christian humility in its internal arrangements; hence its internal arrangements were miserable. But it had enough Christian humility slavishly to copy France (even down to Frederick the Great's poetry), and that which it had the humility to copy it had ultimately the honour to conquer. The case of the Japanese is even more obvious; their only Christian and their only beautiful quality is that they have humbled themselves to be exalted.

The wheel is an animal that is always standing on its head; only "it does it so rapidly that no philosopher has ever found out which is its head." Or if the phrase be felt as more exact, it is an animal that is always turning head over heels and progressing by this principle. Some fish, I think, turn head over heels (supposing them, for the sake of argument, to have heels); I have a dog who nearly did it; and I did it once myself when I was very small. It was an accident, and, as delightful novelist, Mr. De Morgan, would say, it never can happen again. Since then no one has accused me of being upside down except mentally: and I rather think that there is something to be said for that; especially as typified by the rotary symbol. A wheel is the sublime paradox; one part of it is always going forward and the other part always going back. Now this, as it happens, is highly similar to the proper condition of any human soul or any political state. Every sane soul or state looks at once backwards and forwards; and even goes backwards to come on.

For those interested in revolt (as I am) I only say meekly that one cannot have a Revolution without revolving. The wheel, being a logical thing, has reference to what is behind as well as what is before. It has (as every society should have) a part that perpetually leaps helplessly at the sky and a part that perpetually bows down its head into the dust. Why should people be so scornful of us who stand on our heads? Bowing down one's head in the dust is a very good thing, the humble beginning of all happiness. When we have bowed our heads in the dust for a little time the happiness comes; and then (leaving our heads' in the humble and reverent position) we kick up our heels behind in the air. That is the true origin of standing on one's head; and the ultimate defence of paradox. The wheel humbles itself to be exalted; only it does it a little quicker than I do.

The mountain tops are only noble because from them we are privileged to behold the plains. So the only value in any man being superior is that he may have a superior admiration for the level and the common. If there is any profit in a place craggy and precipitous it is only because from the vale it is not easy to see all the beauty of the vale; because when actually in the flats one cannot see their sublime and satisfying flatness. If there is any value in being educated or eminent (which is doubtful enough) it is only because the best instructed man may feel most swiftly and certainly the splendour of the ignorant and the simple: the full magnificence of that mighty human army in the plains. The general goes up to the hill to look at his soldiers, not to look down at his soldiers. He withdraws himself not because his regiment is too small to be touched, but because it is too mighty to be seen. The chief climbs with submission and goes higher with great humility; since in order to take a bird's eye view of everything, he must become small and distant like a bird.

Which means that every one who thinks highly of his own deserts, shall be humbled before God; and every one who humbles himself concerning his good deeds, shall be exalted with God.

For he who exalts himself, presuming to be something, shall be humbled and abandoned by God.

Then he assigns the reason: and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Hence in the canticle of the Virgin, Luke 1:52: he has put down the mighty from their seat, and has exalted the humble.

Virtue does not have a single form. In the example of Martha and Mary, there is added the busy devotion of the one and the pious attention of the other to the Word of God, which, if it agrees with faith, is preferred even to the very works, as it is written: "Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." So let us also strive to have what no one can take away from us, so that not careless but diligent hearing may be granted to us. For even the seeds of the heavenly Word itself are likely to be taken away if they are sowed by the wayside. Let the desire for wisdom lead you as it did Mary. It is a greater and more perfect work. Do not let service divert the knowledge of the heavenly Word.… Nor is Martha rebuked in her good serving, but Mary is preferred because she has chosen the better part for herself, for Jesus abounds with many blessings and bestows many gifts. And therefore the wiser chooses what she perceives as foremost.

May you then like Mary be influenced by the desire of wisdom. For this is the greater, this the more perfect work. Nor let the care of ministering to others turn thy mind from the knowledge of the heavenly word, nor reprove or think indolent those whom thou seest seeking after wisdom.

At present alleluia is for us a traveler's song, but this tiresome journey brings us closer to home and rest where, all our busy activities over and done with, the only thing that will remain will be alleluia.That is the delightful part that Mary chose for herself, as she sat doing nothing but learning and praising, while her sister, Martha, was busy with all sorts of things. Indeed, what she was doing was necessary, but it wasn't going to last.

Our Lord therefore, who was not at a loss, for He had shown He was the Lord, answered as follows, And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha. The repetition of the name is a mark of love, or perhaps of drawing the attention, that she should listen more earnestly. When twice called, she hears, Thou art troubled about many things, that is, thou art busied about many things. For man wishes to meet with something when he is serving, and can not; and thus between seeking what is wanting and preparing what is at hand, the mind is distracted. For if Martha had been sufficient of herself, she would not have required the aid of her sister. There are many, there are diverse things, which are carnal, temporal, but one is preferred to many. For one is not from many, but many from one. Hence it follows, But one thing is needful. Mary wished to be occupied about one, according to that, It is good for me to cling close unto the Lord. (Ps. 73:28.) The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, are one. To this one he does not bring us, unless we being many have one heart. (Acts 4:32.)

(Serm. 104.) What then? Must we think that blame was cast upon the service of Martha, who was engaged in the cares of hospitality, and rejoiced in having so great a guest? If this be true, let men give up ministering to the needy; in a word, let them be at leisure, intent only upon getting wholesome knowledge, taking no care what stranger is in the village in want of bread; let works of mercy be unheeded, knowledge only be cultivated.

(Serm. 104.) Our Lord then does not blame the actions, but distinguishes between the duties. For it follows, Mary hath chosen that good part, &c. Not thine a bad one, but hers a better. Why a better? because it shall not be taken away from her. From thee the necessary burden of business shall one time be taken away. For when thou comest into that country, thou wilt find no stranger to receive with hospitality. But for thy good it shall be taken away, that what is better may be given thee. Trouble shall be taken away, that rest may be given. Thou art yet at sea; she is in port. For the sweetness of truth is eternal, yet in this life it is increased, and in the next it will be made perfect, never to be taken away.

(de Qu. Evang. l. ii. q. 30.) Now mystically, by Martha's receiving our Lord into her house is represented the Church which now receives the Lord into her heart. Mary her sister, who sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word, signifies the same Church, but in a future life, where ceasing from labour, and the ministering to her wants, she shall delight in Wisdom alone. But by her complaining that her sister did not help her, occasion is given for that sentence of our Lord, in which he shows that Church to be anxious and troubled about much service, when there is but one thing needful, which is yet attained through the merits of her service; but He says that Mary hath chosen the good part, for through the one the other is reached, which shall not be taken away.

And the Lord answered and said to her: Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but only one thing is necessary. And blessed David, defining this one thing necessary for man, desires to continually cling to God, saying: But it is good for me to cling to God, to put my hope in the Lord God (Psalm LXXII). And elsewhere: One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple (Psalm XXVI). Therefore, one and only theology, that is, contemplation of God, to which all merits of justifications and all studies of virtues are justly postponed.

And the Lord answering said to her. After the rational comparison, the Evangelist subjoins the judicial determination: concerning which four things are introduced, namely the humiliation of the active life, the commendation of the contemplative life, the promulgation of the sentence, and the assignment of the cause.

First, therefore, as regards the humiliation of the active life, he says: Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. Therefore he repeats the name of Martha, so that he might rouse her to consider her own defect, and this with attention to the divine word: just as it is said of Moses in Exodus 3 that the Lord, seeing that he went forward to look, called him from the midst of the bush and said: "Moses, Moses." And the Lord, wishing to rouse sinners to attention, repeats the call in Jeremiah 22: "O earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord." And so now he rouses Martha, showing that in her there is a threefold defect, namely of anxiety in thought, disturbance in affection, and division in action. And all these things hinder us from tending wholly toward God.

Hence excessive anxiety is to be avoided, according to that passage in the last chapter of Philippians: "Be anxious for nothing, but in every prayer let your petitions be made known before God"; and the last chapter of First Peter: "Casting all your anxiety upon him, for he has care of you."

Disturbance is also to be avoided: hence John 14: "Let not your heart be troubled nor let it fear. You believe in God; believe also in me." Hence also concerning Christ, Isaiah 42: "He shall not be sad nor turbulent." For a troubled eye is not fit for seeing.

Division is also to be avoided: hence Sirach 11: "Son, let not your pursuits be in many things." And these disadvantages belong to the active life, not the contemplative; hence First Corinthians 7: "He who is with a wife is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinks about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit; but she who is married thinks about the things of the world." — Thus therefore the importunity of action is humbled through the showing of its disadvantage and defect.

And he was capable of busying himself about many things; but the one thing, the work of life, he was powerless, and disinclined, and unable to accomplish. Such also was what the Lord said to Martha, who was occupied with many things, and distracted and troubled with serving; while she blamed her sister, because, leaving serving, she set herself at His feet, devoting her time to learning: "Thou art troubled about many things, but Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." So also He bade him leave his busy life, and cleave to One and adhere to the grace of Him who offered everlasting life.

Moreover, to speak more precisely, the Lord forbids not hospitality, but its elaborateness and vanity, that is, distraction and anxiety. Why, He says, "Martha, you are anxious and... troubled about many things," that is, you are distracted and worried? We have need only of eating a little, not of a variety of dishes.

Mary has chosen the best part, which will not be taken away from her. Behold, the part of Martha is not blamed, but Mary's is praised. For he does not say that Mary has chosen a good part, but the best, so that Martha's part may also be indicated as good. But why the part of Mary is the best is explained when it is said: Which will not be taken away from her. For the active life ceases with the body. For who will give bread to the hungry in the eternal homeland, where no one is hungry? Who will give drink to the thirsty, where no one thirsts? Who will bury the dead, where no one dies? Therefore, with the present age, the active life is taken away. But the contemplative life begins here, so that it may be perfected in the heavenly homeland. For the fire of love that begins to burn here, when it sees the very one whom it loves, burns more intensely in love. Therefore the contemplative life is by no means taken away, because it is perfected with the light of the present age being withdrawn.

Second, with regard to the commendation of the contemplative life, he adds: But one thing is necessary: this, namely, is the kingdom of God, which once possessed, nothing is lacking; whence Matthew 6: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you"; and in the Psalm: "One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek"; this, however, is the blessed life, which consists in cleaving to God, to which the contemplative life is devoted; in whose person it is said in the Psalm: "But it is good for me to cleave to God." And this is that one thing which is necessary; because "he who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit," as is said in First Corinthians 6. He who has this one thing has every good; whence as a figure of this it is said in Tobit 10: "Having all things together in you alone, we ought not to have let you go from us"; and Wisdom 7: "All good things came to me together with her," etc. And therefore the Lord said to Moses, in the person of the contemplative man, in Exodus 33: "I will show you all good."

Third, with regard to the promulgation of the judgment, it is added: Mary has chosen the best part; because, namely, she chose the one thing above all else. "For the one is set before the many," as Augustine says, because "not the one from the many, but the many from the one. Many are the things that were made; one is he who made them. Very good are the things he made — how much better is he who made them"; indeed, he is simply the best. And this is the portion of the contemplative soul; whence Lamentations 3: "The Lord is my portion, said my soul; therefore I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him"; and in the Psalm: "How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright in heart"! Very good, I say, and the best; therefore the contemplative soul says in the Psalm: "I cried to you, O Lord; I said: You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living," namely, with Mary; which indeed the contemplatives have already chosen, by contemplating and desiring it. Whence in the person of the contemplative it is said in Deuteronomy 3: "I will cross over and see this excellent land, and that noble mountain, and Lebanon." And on account of love for this, he wished to possess nothing on earth except poverty alone, according to that word of the Psalm: "For one day in your courts is better than a thousand. I have chosen to be abject in the house of my God"; because, as is said in Matthew 13, "the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which when a man found, he hid," etc.

Fourth, as regards the assignment of the cause, he adds: Which shall not be taken away from her. The Gloss says: "The part of Martha is not reproved, for it too is good, but the part of Mary is praised, and why it is the best is added: Which shall not be taken away from her." "From the opposite, understand that from Martha the part which she chose shall be taken away, because the labor of multiplicity passes away, and the charity of unity remains." And this is the reason why the part of Mary is simply better and more worthy of choice, because the contemplative life begins here and is perfected in the future. This is signified in the figure of John, according to what is said in the last chapter of John: "So I will him to remain," as if the contemplation once begun remains, "until I come," to be perfected when I shall have come. And because it is more enduring, therefore it is better, as the Apostle says of charity in First Corinthians thirteen: "Charity never fails," and from this he concludes that charity is the greatest. So also concerning the contemplative life; whence Bede in the Gloss says: "Which begins to burn here, when it shall see him whom it loves, will be more greatly kindled in love"; Isaiah thirty-one: "Whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem." Whence, as far as it is in itself, it is to be preferred, according to that passage in Second Corinthians four: "While we contemplate not the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

On account of this, the contemplative life is simply more to be desired as that which is better and of itself to be preferred, both because it is more secure, and because it is more sweet, and because it is more stable; nevertheless the active life is not to be despised, but for place and time it is to be preferred for a time, both because it is prior, and because it is more laborious, and because it is more fruitful: for it avails both for oneself and for others.

And this is well signified in the two wives of Jacob, namely Rachel and Leah, of whom one signifies the active life, the other the contemplative. Whence the Bridegroom sometimes compels the Bride to go forth to action, according to what is said in Song of Songs two: "Let your voice sound in my ears," etc. Whence, if the question concerns superiority, simply speaking the contemplative is better, according to what Gregory says in the sixth book of the Moralia: "Great are the merits of the active life, but those of the contemplative are greater." For Mary has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.

But if the question is raised concerning choosability, sometimes the active life is to be preferred, namely for an imperfect man, who must first exercise himself in the field of action, or when someone is obligated to the works of the active life by precept or by office: and therefore sometimes doubt arises in the choice, according to that passage in Philippians 1: "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if to live in the flesh, this is for me the fruit of labor, and what I shall choose, I know not. For I am straitened between the two, having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is far the better: but to remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake." — Therefore spiritual men must sometimes go out, sometimes enter in, sometimes ascend, sometimes descend, as Jacob saw, Genesis 28.

Now this Gospel is customarily read on the Assumption of the Virgin, either because its ending most fittingly applies to Mary, when it says: Mary has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken from her. For although this was said literally of Mary Magdalene, yet it is more truly said of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Whence Bernard: "Mary has chosen the best part. The best indeed: good is the fruitfulness of marriage, better however is the chastity of virginity, but altogether best is virginal fruitfulness, or fruitful virginity: it is the privilege of Mary, it shall not be given to another, because it shall not be taken from her." — Or also, because in this Gospel there is described in the two sisters the perfection of the active and the contemplative lives, both of which were in the Virgin most perfectly. For what was given to these two sisters in parts was given to Mary wholly and completely. Whence Jerome: "To others it was given in parts, but into Mary the fullness of grace poured itself all at once."

Or, because here there is treated the twofold reception of Christ: bodily and spiritual: bodily by Martha in the lodging of the outer house: spiritual by Mary in the lodging of the inner house. And this twofold reception was most perfectly in Mary, who received him in the chamber of the body, nourished and fed and raised him and diligently ministered to him: she also received him in the chamber of the heart, by seeing him, believing, loving, and imitating him. And from both of these she was blessed: whence below in chapter 11: "Blessed is the womb that bore you"; "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it." Whence Augustine: "More blessed was Mary in receiving the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. For maternal kinship would have profited Mary nothing, had she not more happily borne him in her mind than in her flesh."

Or also, because here three things are set forth, namely divine lodging, divine ministry, divine companionship: which three were most perfectly in the Virgin Mary: lodging in the village, ministry in Martha, and companionship in Mary.

Rightly the Virgin Mary in receiving Christ was a castle fortified and elevated with towers of virtues, whose first tower was the strength of severity, concerning which Song of Songs chapter four says: "Your neck is like the tower of David, which was built with bulwarks; a thousand shields hang from it," because the Virgin Mary could be overcome by no vice. The second tower was the rectitude of discernment, concerning which Song of Songs chapter seven says: "Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, which looks toward Damascus"; where the discernment of good from evil is understood. The third tower was the abundance of devotion, concerning which the last chapter of Song of Songs says: "I am a wall, and my breasts are like a tower," on account of the sweetness of devotion, in which she excelled. Whence these three towers were built by the Holy Spirit through grace upon the three powers of the soul: the first upon the irascible, the second upon the rational, and the third upon the concupiscible. And from these the Virgin was a stronghold fit for receiving the beloved Son of the Father, who was the power and wisdom of the Father, because the Virgin was most strong, most prudent, and most devout.

Rightly also in ministering she was Martha, who ministered to the Lord faithfully and humbly and courageously. So also Mary, though she was the Mother, made herself a handmaid and servant, according to that passage above in chapter one: "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word." Whence she was prefigured by that good woman Abigail, who, when she was sought by David in marriage, offered herself for service: 1 Kings chapter twenty-five: "Behold, let your handmaid be a servant, to wash the feet of your servants." Such was the Virgin Mary on account of her exceeding humility; whence she said of herself: "He has regarded the humility of his handmaid." And this is what Augustine says: "Everyone who is of sound mind understands that Mary was the minister of Christ in the performance of her work and in the most steadfast truth of her faith. For without doubt she was his minister, who bore him in her womb and nourished and cherished him when brought forth in birth, and, as the Gospel says, laid him in a manger, and fleeing from the face of Herod went into Egypt, and attended to his entire infancy with the tender affection of a mother."

Rightly also was Mary in dwelling together or in contemplating. For she herself, like the other Mary, stood beside Christ, according to that passage in John 19: "There stood beside the cross of Jesus his Mother and his Mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene." For the Virgin herself was the one who most closely drew near to him, and therefore she most fully received his words and preserved them for others. For above in chapter two it is said: "Mary kept all these words." Whence she was rightly signified by the ark of the covenant of the Lord, of which it is said in Hebrews 9: "In which was a golden urn containing manna," through her great devotion of charity; "and the rod of Aaron," through her great uprightness of virtue; "and the tablets of the testimony," through her great knowledge of the contemplation of truth. And she herself was also most supremely contemplative. Whence Bernard says: "Blessed Mary penetrated the most profound abyss of divine wisdom, beyond what can be believed, so that, as far as the condition of a creature permits without personal union, she may be seen as immersed in that inaccessible light." And Bede says: "What did she not know of God, in whom the Wisdom of God lay hidden and from whose womb he fashioned a body for himself?"

And thus it is clear how this Gospel passage was assigned to the Assumption of the Virgin not through human invention but through divine inspiration, because the Holy Spirit enclosed within it a commendation of the Virgin with respect to her multitude of prerogatives; for the preservation of which he adds at the end: Mary has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken from her. For Mary chose the best part both in grace and in glory, in which is enclosed the perfect and proper praise of the Virgin; for as Jerome says: "Just as in comparison with God no one is good, so in comparison with the Mother of the Lord no woman is found perfect, however much she may be proven outstanding in virtues." Therefore among women she alone is the best through every manner of superabundance, by reason of which "she is seen to have neither a predecessor like her nor a successor."

A brother went to visit Silvanus on Mount Sinai. When he saw the brothers hard at work, he said to the old man, ' "Labour not for the meat which perisheth" (John 6:27) and "Mary hath chosen the best part" (Luke 10:42).' Silvanus said to his disciple Zacharias, 'Put this brother in a cell where there is nothing.' When three o'clock came, the visitor kept looking at the door, to see when they would send someone to invite him to eat but no one did so. So he got up and went to Silvanus and said, 'Abba, don't the brethren eat today?' He said, 'Yes, they have eaten already.' The brother said, 'Why didn't you call me?' He replied, 'You are so spiritual you do not need food. We are earthly, and since we want to eat, we work with our hands. But you have chosen the good part, reading all day, and not wanting to take earthly food.' When the brother heard this he prostrated himself in penitence and said, 'Forgive me, abba.' Silvanus said, 'I think Mary always needs Martha, and by Martha's help Mary is praised.'

Together with the work the Teacher set forth doctrine, not only in deed but also by His word, even as He did to Mary and Martha, who both offered service unto Him, but the service of Mary was more perfect than that of Martha, and both ministered unto Him, the one only according to the body, and the other according to the spirit, and our Lord received both services, and pronounced blessed the service which was superior to its fellow, saying, "Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." As if a man should say, "Do thou also, O Martha, forsake that service which is imperfect, and be exalted in thy service to the more excellent grade." And Jesus did not reject the ministration of Martha, for according to the measure of her knowledge and of her love was the measure of her ministration; but He wished that she would offer great instead of little things, and instead of the service of the body the service of the spirit. And the service of Mary and of Martha was like exactly unto the service of the holy Apostles of the old and of the latter times, for that bodily service which they also offered unto Him in one place after another was like unto that of Martha; but that other service which He taught them to offer unto Him in the commandment, "Ye shall possess nothing," was the counterpart of the service of the blessed Mary. For there are many who, like Martha and Zacchaeus, and those women who clave to Him, and who ministered unto Him from their possessions, are justified, and there are some whose service like that of Mary and the Apostles is wholly of the spirit; and Jesus wished and desired this service, so that all the children of men might arrive at perfection.

Others understood the words "one thing is needful" not as referring to food, but to attentiveness to teaching. Thus, by these words the Lord instructs the apostles that when they enter anyone's house, they should not demand anything luxurious, but be content with what is simple, caring for nothing more than attentiveness to teaching. Perhaps understand by Martha the active virtue, and by Mary – contemplation. The active virtue has distractions and anxieties, while contemplation, having become master over the passions (for Mary means mistress), exercises itself in the sole examination of divine sayings and judgments. So then, if you can, ascend to the level of Mary through mastery over the passions and the pursuit of contemplation. But if this is impossible for you, be Martha, devote yourself to the active life, and through that receive Christ. Note this: "which shall not be taken away from her." The one who labors in works has something that is taken away from him, that is, cares and distraction. For, having attained to contemplation, he is freed from distraction and vanity, and thus something is taken away from him. But the one who labors in contemplation is never deprived of this good part, that is, contemplation. For in what more shall he advance, when he has reached the very highest, I mean, the contemplation of God, which is equal to deification? For whoever has been deemed worthy to behold God becomes a god, since like is encompassed by like.

But he said: Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it. The Savior beautifully agreed to the testimony of the woman, meaning not only her who was worthy to physically bear the Word of God, but also all those who spiritually, by the hearing of faith, conceive the same Word, and in the custody of good works strive either to bear it in their own heart or in the hearts of others, and as if to nurture it, asserting that they are blessed. For even the mother of God, and indeed she was blessed because she became the minister of the Word made flesh temporally, but much more blessed because she remained the eternal guardian of the same Word always to be loved. With this sentence, he silently strikes the wise of the Jews, who sought not to hear and keep the Word of God, but to deny and blaspheme it.

"A certain woman from the crowd, raising her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you." And Jesus said: "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it."

Not only is she blessed who conceived and nursed him, but also those who follow her. And who are they? Those who hear the word of God and fulfill it. Eve, having transgressed the commandment of God, destroyed the house which God had prepared for us unto salvation; but the wise woman built the house and restored our salvation.

Third, indeed, as regards the approbation of the expressed praise, he adds: But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God. He does not say this by way of opposing, but rather by way of adding, as if he were saying: not only blessed is the womb that bore me, the Word made flesh, but even more blessed is the one who receives the word uttered by me. Whence Mary too was not only blessed because she bore Christ in the flesh, but even more blessed, because she most perfectly bore him in the mind, according to what Augustine says: "Mary was more blessed in conceiving the faith of Christ than the flesh of Christ." For blessed is everyone who hears and obeys, according to that text of John 13: "If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

And therefore he adds: And keep it: and therefore James 1: "Be doers of the word and not hearers only." By this word Christ did not wish merely carnal kinship to be praised in itself: for thus it is said to the Jews above in the third chapter: "Do not presume to say: We have Abraham as our father," etc.; but spiritual kinship, because the union of minds is holier than that of bodies. And therefore, when his mother and brethren sought him, he said in Matthew 12: "Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, sister, and mother." And for this reason the Virgin Mary was praiseworthy in conceiving, because she conceived by faith: and therefore Elizabeth said to her above in the first chapter: "Blessed is she who believed, for there shall be a fulfillment of those things which were told her by the Lord." — From which appears a wondrous commendation of truth, which makes all who adhere to it blessed, not only those adhering by carnal kinship, as the Virgin Mary, but also by spiritual love, as any holy soul. For as Augustine says: "Beatitude is joy in the truth"; to which joy shall come those who hear, love, and do the truth, according to that text of Ecclesiasticus 24: "Those who hear me shall not be confounded, and those who work in me shall not sin, and those who elucidate me shall have eternal life."

Spiritually, however, it should be noted here that the woman from the crowd bears the type of the Law, which commends carnal generation, according to the promise made to Abraham, Genesis 15: "Look up at the heaven," etc.; and to David, whence in the Psalm: "Of the fruit," etc.; whence Romans 9: "Of whom is Christ according to the flesh," etc. But Christ bears the type of grace and the spirit, who indeed commends spiritual generation, according to that text of Matthew 12: "Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?" The conception of this spiritual generation first takes place in faith, as it were in the unity of the Church: John 7: "He who believes in me, as the Scripture says," etc. As a sign of which thing also the Virgin Mary conceived through faith: Luke 1: "Blessed is she who believed." Birth, however, comes about through works: Ecclesiasticus twenty-four: "I said, I will water the garden of plantings," etc. But those who believe and do not work are like those of whom Isaiah thirty-seven says: "The children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring forth." Nursing takes place in love and contemplation; Song of Songs one: "Let him kiss me with a kiss, for your breasts are better than wine," etc.; and Proverbs five: "A most beloved hind and a most graceful fawn," etc. And thus in these three are intimated the reception of grace, the exercise of the active life, and the consolation of the contemplative life. And this whole is enclosed in "faith, which works through love," which only those who possess will be blessed.

But He blesses those who keep the word of God, not, however, in order to deprive His Mother of blessedness, but in order to show that even She would have received no benefit from having given birth to Him and nursed Him at Her breast, if She had not possessed all the other virtues. He says this also because it is timely. Since those who envied Him and did not listen to His words reviled those who did listen, He, contrary to them, especially blesses those who listen. Perhaps He also says this on account of the healed deaf man, so that he too, having heard the word, might keep it, lest the ability to hear that was granted him should serve to his condemnation.